Meet Samira Merzaxmetova, a young artist whose work is already conquering the art world. At her age, she is not only a virtuoso with a brush, but also uses her talent for an incredibly important cause. In this interview, we dive into her creative world, find out what inspires her to create such unique paintings, and how art becomes a bridge to good deeds.
Samira, what does drawing mean to you and how has it influenced your life? How did you get involved in art?
Drawing for me is a whole world where my thoughts rest and where I truly live. I started drawing when I was very young. I was not even a year old when I already asked for a pencil and paper to draw. I filled sketchbooks quickly and always wanted to draw more and more. When I was five, my mum tried to discourage me from drawing, suggesting I focus on English or maths. But I told her: ‘Leave me alone, my mind rests there, I live there.’ From then on I started to be supported and I continued to paint.
Which of the techniques you've worked with (oil, acrylic, watercolour, pencils, 3D) do you like best and why?
I like almost all techniques and enjoy working with them. But I love painting with oil colours the most. It seems to me that oil brings everything to life, makes the paintings so alive and natural. Wherever you look at such a painting, everything seems real.
Do you have a favourite subject to paint (portraits, nature, animals) and why do you find it so appealing?
I don’t have any favourite subjects, I like to paint everything, but my favourite subject is portraits. I love the way a person seems to come to life when drawing a portrait, whether it’s with pencil or paint. I like to put all the emotions of people on paper – facial expressions, subtle details. I don’t change or embellish anything when I paint portraits; I paint a person as they are, with all their emotions and even the smallest nuances of their life.
You mentioned that you like to paint unusual works that are ‘not very close to real life’. Can you tell us more about what inspires you to create such subjects?
Yes, I really like to draw unusual, fantasy subjects. Ideas for them come to me spontaneously, sometimes even at night in my sleep. I can wake up and immediately start thinking about how to draw it. I like to add something of my own to make it really unique and beautiful.
Nine victories at such a young age is incredible! Which victory is the most memorable for you and why? What do you think helped you achieve such success in competitions?
I really have a lot of victories – nine at the national and international levels, as well as many awards at city and school competitions. I love to participate in competitions! I remember most of all my participation in the Golden Time competition. I liked the fact that they recognise talent, create very good conditions for artists, and give them the opportunity to show their work to the world and achieve a lot.
What helped me to achieve such success? First of all, it’s probably my hard work and my love for drawing. Of course, I was sometimes frustrated when at school or at city competitions other children and teachers didn’t want me to participate because they said that ‘she has nothing to do, she will win anyway’. But I didn’t give up.
The first time I participated in the contest was in second grade and I immediately took second place among the adult participants, including tenth-graders. It was unexpected, and I even cried and ran away because it was my first such experience. But it only inspired me to continue.
Please tell me, have you tried selling your paintings and monetising your art? If yes, tell us in detail about your first sale. What emotions did you experience, what was it like?
Yes, my first paintings were sold at an official event at my school with reporters, Uzbek television and representatives of the Ministry of Education. Four of my paintings were sold then. I remember my emotions very well: I was crying, just sobbing, because I didn’t want to part with my works at all! I didn’t realise that they were being bought, it was the work itself that was important to me. One teacher, whose child also paints, explained to my mum that artists often don’t care about money because they put a part of their soul into their paintings.
What are your creative plans for the future? What would you like to achieve as an artist?
In the future I really want to become a great artist. I dream of having my own exhibitions all over the world and my own gallery.
I was also very inspired by a project like yours, which helps talents to develop. I would also like to create such a platform to support young artists and help them get recognised. I would love to see their talents not go to waste.
