In the art world, every artist takes a unique path full of challenges and discoveries. Anita Familje, who grew up in a family of veterinarians, chose a different path, following her true calling - art. Inspired by her childhood dreams and the support of her loved ones, she managed to overcome stereotypes and create her own world filled with colors and emotions. In this article, we will explore how personal experiences and cultural influences shape Anita's unique style and how her art resonates with audiences around the world.
How did you come to the decision to become an artist, despite your family tradition in veterinary medicine? How has creativity accompanied you since childhood, and what were your first steps in the visual arts?
My parents were veterinarians and I could have followed their example. However, this profession did not suit me because I did not want to be involved in animal cruelty. Since I was a child, I loved to draw and I wanted to study art. My mom supported my choice and I went to study to be an artist. This became my true calling. Since childhood I drew: my girlfriends, teachers and even characters from the movie Titanic. I often drew on the back pages of my notebooks. I've always been creative, and that creativity showed up not only in art, but also in solving everyday problems. For me, creativity is a way of expression, a way out of any situation.
How did the idea of your pseudonym Anita Familje come about? Why did you decide to use it instead of your real name?
I decided that Slavic names are quite difficult for foreigners to understand. Since I have been living abroad for a long time, I wanted to come up with something simpler and more symbolic. This name became a kind of sign reflecting my goals and dreams of creating a real family. I grew up without a father, went through a difficult divorce abroad, and at that moment this name became a symbol of stability, family and a happy woman.
How do you develop your brand? What goals do you set for your brand development?
My brand is based on my childhood dream of creating art and bringing people together. I participate in exhibitions, competitions, create workshops (for example, Art Perot, where drawing is combined with a friendly atmosphere). I also create greeting cards, decorate Instagram accounts, and even work as an SMM specialist with a creative background. I want to work exclusively in the field of art, open a school of master classes for children and adults, become better known, participate in international projects, and create quality content, including video presentations.
Where do you draw inspiration from? How does your character influence your creativity?
I get my inspiration from communicating with positive people. My environment often changes because I am guided by my intuition: if a person causes discomfort, I stop interacting with them. On the contrary, beautiful people - children, women, men - give me aesthetic pleasure. My archetype is the aesthete. I love creating beauty, grooming myself and keeping my interiors in order. Positive mood and projects that inspire me, trigger the creative flow and raise my efficiency. I am a temperamental and positive person. If a project inspires me, I experience a burst of energy and efficiency. Creativity for me is a process that depends on my environment, my mood and my inner feelings.
What achievements and exhibitions in Europe can you highlight? Where have you participated in international projects?
I have participated in digital exhibitions all over the world, including London, Barcelona, Switzerland and Thurich. My work often won prizes, although I participated without necessarily being present at these exhibitions. I also worked with Luxembourg exhibitions and started collaborations with various organizations. My work was exhibited on large platforms, which was an important step in my career. One of the most memorable moments was a competition where I painted a transformer box. My work was highly praised, inspiring me to develop further. The idea of showing loneliness during a pandemic resonated with many people. Such projects open up new facets of creativity and allow me to share my vision with the world.
How did you start your career as an artist and organize your first exhibitions?
I started out with absolutely no experience, not knowing how to organize exhibitions properly. I started by looking for premises for my paintings, talking to people who could provide walls for the exhibition. Some people agreed, and I started hanging my paintings instead of advertising billboards. Eventually we organized the first vernissage with music, drinks and beautiful decorations. I believe that an exhibition should not only be about the paintings, but also about the atmosphere. People pass by the paintings quickly, but to linger, you have to offer something more. I invited DJs, dancers, gymnasts, violinists - this helped to create a warmer atmosphere and a reason to meet. Under such conditions, our vernissages became popular among Russian speakers, who are not so common abroad.
What activities have you done as part of your art?
I led international evenings, I organized the Open Stage project in Antwerp. We would meet in a bar where there was an international audience. The theme of the evenings was divided by color (e.g. pink or green evening). This included art compositions, costumes in the appropriate color scheme, and inviting guests to dress in the same color. I created posters and invited guests to support the idea of the evening by coming dressed in a certain color. It turned into a kind of flash mob. The guests, including men, were eager to support the idea and it often sparked fun moments. Photos were also taken to capture the harmony of the color schemes. For variety, I collaborated with pianists, singers, dancers, and guitarists. Guests were able to present their work and shared their business cards. It became a kind of networking, united by art and culture.
Anita, how do the ideas for your paintings come to you?
Since I am a fashion designer and trained as a fashion designer, I studied figure, portrait, nature, anatomy, facial features and the human being in general. This has helped me to develop strong skills in portraiture and figurative representation. My modeling has influenced my approach to art: I think in terms of collections. This has proven to be a plus, as collectors often buy several works at once. Ideas for paintings are born within a collection, which has its own name. For example, my first collection of women's portraits came about when I was in Belgium. I was inspired by people of different nationalities from my integration group: Africans, Chinese, Thais and others. I found beauty in each nation and tried to portray it in the portraits.
What themes do you explore in your collections? How do you know when a collection is complete?
The first collection was devoted to women's portraits of different nationalities. When visitors to the exhibition began to ask where my male works were, I created a collection of 12 male portraits. There are different images of men: a brutal man with a cigar, a businessman, an activist, a man with an expensive watch, an African, a European and others. Then I made a collection on the theme of elements of nature. Inspired by the concept from the movie The Fifth Element, I created nine pieces: water, earth, fire, air, tsunami, wind, rainbow, rain, and lightning. This collection is diverse in color scheme and message, people easily recognized the elements of nature in it. The completion of the collection is determined by several factors: a deadline, an intuitive sense of completion, and numerical symbolism. For example, the number 12 is associated with the apostles, and 7 is associated with nature's cycles. Usually a collection feels complete when there is nothing more to add to it and each piece complements the overall concept.
