Interview

What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?

“I was born in the republic of Georgia Tbilisi. Growing up in a very artistic family, I was constantly surrounded by paintings, art and music. My father was well known artist where I grew up. Art was already in my DNA. I couldn't escape from it. Our living space was an art studio, house and art museum. I couldn't resist and started to paint seriously at the age of 16, then I went to the Academy of Fine arts as a fasion designer and successfully graduated. I had two fashion shows as young designer. At the age of 24, I moved to New York to pursue the fashion industry. As time passed, I discovered my interest, curiosity and passion to different art styles and techniques and couldn't stop divine. I continue to practice and explore.”

What inspires you?

“Music is definitely one of the biggest components in terms of my inspiration. I never paint to silence; I am always surrounded by music. I feel that it both excites and emotes me. Additionally, I wrap in my past travelling experiences, my personal journey and most importantly - interactions I have had along the way. My paintings not only tie in who my past self was but, most importantly, who I want to become and the life I want to live.”

What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?

“Every piece that I create is unique and can evoke different emotions or thoughts. Each piece of art contains its own story and energy from what occurred in my life while I created it. I never want to simplify my paintings with only one message. I like to leave the interpretation up to all. I do so, by most of the time, leaving my pieces nameless. This can be compared to as everyone enjoys different types of music; everyone hears and enjoys different things. My art is simply a combination of all my emotions and I allow people to interpret the piece to their own personal journey.”

How would you describe your work?

“I am a classically trained artist. Therefore, all of my work demonstrates classical lines and produces a theatrical and extravagant style. I mainly work with acrylics on canvas of often larger sizes. It can be described as classical abstract with the vibrant colors and endless lines utilized. I tend to paint female bodies and portraits, specifically with accentuated details on the eyes. Overall, however, I do have to say I prefer portraits that utilize black and white.”

Which artists influence you most?

“I was extremely fortunate to be surrounded by many talented artists around me growing up. My father was a well-known artist in the republic of Georgia. He was my biggest influence because I was mesmerized by his artistic vision, talent, and ability to communicate with the world through his art. As a child, I watched him at his art studio and and found it absolutely fascinating. I wanted to be exactly like him. Art was simply in my blood, and I wanted to pursue it. There are so many incredible artists hat I admire, studied, and so many modern artists that I follow on social media. One of the most important factors to me is the background of the artist. Their artwork becomes more fascinating when they have an intriguing biography that was conveyed through their art. In order to grow myself, I have to constantly be introduced and inspired by other creative artists.”

“Every piece that I create is unique and can evoke different emotions or thoughts.”

What is your creative process like?

“Most of the time, my vision is driven from inspiration and a muse that drives me crazy. I visualize the size of canvas, shape, colors and techniques that I will be using prior to starting. Despite my planning, I typically end up with completely different image I imagined before starting. The process itself is extremely exciting but emotionally challenging me. As mentioned prior, music is my essential component to my pieces. Often, the music selection dictates the direction my piece ends up in. My biggest and most loyal fan is my dog. She has sat through each and every painting for hours, both asleep and awake. Truly, she has experienced my art journey with me.”

What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?

“Art is an amazing creative language. It is artistic tool that you can express your emotions to the world. As an artist, I'm extremely fortunate to use at as an outlet to express my thoughts, feelings, and fantasies to produce aesthetically pleasing pieces. In my opinion, art is an extremely important part of healing. It is extremely therapeutic in the sense that any emotion felt is simply lured out of you on a canvas to feel as if you are ripping the pain away and dealing with it. Art is a unique creative language with which you can translate many expressions. It can often be violent, political, personal but universal. To me, the most important thing is for your art to be unique to leave everyone's individual signature.”