In a world where every day brings new challenges and opportunities, art becomes a beacon that leads us to self-discovery and harmony. Marina, a talented artist, has come a long way from childhood curiosity to creating unique collages and paintings that reflect her inner world. In this interview, she shares her thoughts on art, inspiration, and finding her own style.
Marina, please tell us how you started your career in art and what led you to create collages and paintings?
It all started with my curiosity and I went to art school when I was 10 years old. I was interested in everything then, as I am now. But it was at art school that I felt like I belonged. With every class, inspiration grew in my heart. I have been painting every day since then and now I can't imagine myself without fine art. It has become a way of perceiving the world and expressing myself. Creating artwork has an alchemical meaning for me. I can create a world that is real and alive. A painting is a small life. I see a lot of meaning for myself in the process of creating works. There is something very important in it.
What themes or ideas do you try to express through your work, and what inspires you to create new works?
This is a very good question. I guess I don't want to take responsibility for the viewer's perception of my work. I mean, I convey certain images that appear in my mind, and it's important for me to put my soul into them so that they are alive. And what they tell the viewer is not my business. In my opinion, a painting should have a secret that no one but the subject can reveal. As for the plot of my works, it's hard for me to give it a name. Most of all, I like to create creatures. My mother says that when I was a child I used to call them “chudeli”.
How did participating in contests and exhibitions influence your development as an artist and your perception of your own work?
To be honest, at the moment I haven't felt a strong influence, of course it's nice to hear a compliment, it's nice when people buy my works, because it inspires me. But I have not yet established contact between my works and the viewer, so to speak. But this is probably one of the most important needs for me as an artist - to be able to express myself in a way that is seen and heard.
Has changing countries affected your work and how?
When I moved to Belgium, my environment changed a lot. I don't have any artist friends here, so I'm more on my own. I would rather say that I develop creatively directly, regardless of the country I live in. I can only say that sketching in public transport has become a little more interesting because I live in the most international city in Europe. There are a lot of interesting characters here.
Do you have any artists or other creative personalities who have had a significant influence on your work? If so, who are they and how do they inspire you?
There are an infinite number of special and talented masters throughout the history of art, and you can take something important from each of them. Personally, I became even more interested in painting when I saw the works of Claude Monet as a child. I am fascinated by the way he conveys the value and uniqueness of the moment, and am impressed by the way he works with color. I was also inspired by Andy Warhol's playful and mischievous attitude to art. For me, he is an example of a direct perception of everyday life through a connection with art.
What materials and techniques do you prefer in your collages and paintings, and why are they close to you?
I paint with everything I can paint with: acrylic, oil, spray, gouache - depending on the effect I want to get. I like to experiment a lot. There are works where I mix acrylic with beads and polymer clay. In some I mix oil with floss threads. I collect various printed materials on the streets and in advertising windows. Anything that comes to hand can make me want to use it for a new project. Of course, I have a knowledge base of painting techniques that I studied in college. But I am not limited to academic boundaries.
How do you cope with creative blocks or periods when inspiration leaves you? Do you have any methods that help you regain the desire to create?
For me, painting is like brushing my teeth. There are moments of inspiration when all the conditions are right. Sometimes it's even scary and painful to stand at the easel. But in any case, I always continue to paint portraits in transport. It keeps me in touch with my inner artist. After I graduated from college, I had a year and a half when sitting down to write something was accompanied by tears of horror. It was a consequence of the over-criticism of my college professors. But I still bought new canvases and tried to remember what it was like to enjoy painting. Time has passed, and now I have almost forgotten these images.
