How to combine the serenity of Latvian nature and the energy of a metropolis in a single artistic style? We discussed this with Aleksandra Zahorodnyuk. The artist, who works equally masterfully with airy watercolor and powerful textured painting, told us about her path into art, the importance of self-education, and how her upcoming art studio in London will become a place where everyone can find joy and confidence through creativity.
Please tell us about your journey into art. How did you start creating?
I have lived a creative life since childhood. At school, I spent most of my time drawing, getting so immersed in the process that I could doodle in my notebooks right during lessons and completely lose touch with the outside world. I constantly participated in creative events, trying different formats of self-employment related to art. At 19, I came to London just for the summer holidays to earn money for student life, but I met the love of my life here and stayed — this marked a new stage when creativity temporarily took a back seat.
Your life is divided between Daugavpils and London. How have these two cities influenced your artistic style, and do they inspire you differently?
They are two very different, but equally dear cities to me. Daugavpils is calm, quiet, filled with nature and atmospheric places. My childhood and youth were spent here, and it is very difficult to leave every time because it is a true part of me. London, over almost twenty years, has become no less dear: it has a different rhythm, a multinational environment, a mix of cultures and traditions, and it is this multifaceted nature that constantly inspires new ideas for creativity.
You mentioned that most of your development as an artist occurred through personal study. What were the most significant discoveries or milestones you made on this path of self-education?
Most of my development as an artist happened through self-study. Before the pandemic, I already mastered watercolor and acrylic, but it was during that period, when many people had more time, that I consciously returned to art and decided to immerse myself in a new direction for myself — textured painting. This became an important milestone: I realized that I could combine different materials, search for my own language, and simultaneously process emotions through the process, not just the result.
How do you decide which technique to choose to express a specific idea or feeling?
I truly love textured painting for its depth and tactility, but at the same time, the softness of watercolor is close to me. Texture is always different: it can be deep, rich, or barely visible, and in combination with acrylic and gilding, in my opinion, it especially beautifully emphasizes the depth and character of the work. The technique is usually born from a feeling — sometimes I want a powerful texture to “speak out” an emotion, and sometimes I want the lightness and transparency that watercolor washes best convey.
You often combine techniques and textures. Can you tell us about a specific piece where this combination was key to expressing your idea, and how this interaction of materials enriched the work?
Combinations of texture, acrylic, and gilding are often found in my works. I am fascinated by how the relief surface catches the light, and how potali (gold leaf) and acrylic transitions enhance this impression. In such pieces, the interaction of materials becomes the key to the idea — the depth of the textures creates the foundation of the state, and the gilding adds a sense of value and inner light. The result is often unpredictable, and there is a special magic in that for me.
Tell us about your artistic style. How has it evolved over time?
My style developed gradually, from childhood passion for drawing, a long break, and a return to creativity in adulthood. On one hand, the love for soft, sensual watercolor transitions lives within me; on the other, texture, relief, and complex surfaces are taking up more and more space. Over time, I increasingly seek a balance between these poles — between calm depth and an expressive, almost sculptural surface.
You are preparing to open your own art studio in London. What goals do you set for yourself in this project?
The idea to open a studio was born naturally when I felt how much creativity had supported me during different periods of my life. I want to create a space where people can not just “learn to draw,” but process their emotions through art, find support, and joy. The first steps have already been taken: I am developing my skills, working with different materials, gaining experience in interior projects, and gradually building the studio concept and class formats.
In your studio, you plan to teach both children and adults. Why is it important for you to teach these two age groups?
It is important for me to work with both children and adults because the need for creative expression has no age. For children, it helps unleash imagination and self-confidence, and for adults, it helps process difficult states, release tension, and reclaim a sense of play and freedom. Creativity is a universal language that unites generations, and I want that to be particularly felt in the studio.
How do you plan to inspire and motivate your students?
My goal is not only to teach techniques but also to create a safe space where one can be oneself and not be afraid to “make mistakes” in art.
I want to show students that the most authentic beauty often arises from texture, accidental lines, and “imperfection,” and that the process is just as important as the result. Through various formats, from textured painting to working with epoxy resin and alcohol inks, people will be able to search for their own language and find joy in creativity.
What does it mean to you when you say that "art has always been a part of me"?
For me, it’s about that state where creativity is not limited to a canvas or a studio. Since childhood, I have looked at the world through the eyes of someone who is constantly imagining, adding to things, transforming, and even during the years when creativity seemed to fade into the background, it remained an inner support.
Art is a way to live, notice details, feel deeper, and turn experiences into something tangible.
What inspires your work, besides your personal experiences and the places you have lived?
In addition to personal experiences and the places I have lived, the very environment I am in inspires me greatly.
In Latvia, it is the silence, fresh air, and natural landscapes that fill me with tranquility and give me internal resources.
In London, conversely, I am inspired by the rhythm, the architecture, the multinationality, and the endless amount of visual impressions — from the streets to the interiors I work with.
What are your plans for the future? Are there projects or ideas you would like to realize?
Currently, I am developing several directions at once: textured painting, working with epoxy resin, alcohol ink technique, and watercolor, while simultaneously gaining experience in interior projects and surface finishing. All of this forms a unified vision for the future studio, where I can combine painting, decor, and teaching.
I want to realize projects where art becomes part of people’s space and lives, not just a picture on the wall.
