Interview
Natasha Denkovski
Natasha Denkovski was born in Skopje, Macedonia. Although she obtained an Engineering degree, she was able to take private lessons by an established artist from Belgrade, and work to further develop her talent.
In 1996 she immigrated to Canada, where she pursued her education and career in the Financial Services Industry. Today, in her spare time, Natasha finds her sanctuary when she paints oil, and most recently, acrylic on canvas. Her work is largely inspired by nature and has been well received. Her art has also been recognized by the online community painters.uk.
She had her first exhibition (Reflections) in 2010 with a group of artists from former Yugoslavia. Since then, Natasha has been exhibiting her art each year and has been gaining greater interests from Toronto audiences. In 2016 Natasha joined the prestigious Don Valley Art Club. Natasha has been regularly donating her art work for various fundraising events and charities, while enjoying the positive comments and popularity from many happy owners of her art.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I first demonstrated a talent for art in early childhood, winning awards at school for my drawings and watercolour work. Although I am a qualified agricultural engineer, when I immigrated to Canada in 1996 I pursued an education (MBA) and career in finance.
Given the busy work schedule and raising my two sons, I started painting in 2007, after I completed my MBA and my children were older. I then had some free time in the evenings and weekends to follow my passion with painting. I had my first exhibition with other artists in Toronto in 2010. Also, since 2010 I have been a member of the prestigious Don Valley Art Club and have been exhibiting with them.
I am self-thought, but have taken a couple of art lessons before coming to Canada. These were mostly drawings. In 2012 I took lessons on how to work in acrylic, and that helped me see how other artists work, and gave me more ideas and confidence to experiment and try new things.”
What inspires you most?
“My inspiration comes from the beauty of mother nature. I started with landscapes, seascapes and later focused more on figures and portraits. Some of my paintings and abstract works are a reflection of my emotions. Sometimes, I find inspiration from information from online sources, such as social media. Due to the sheer volume of information available, this type of inspiration comes and goes in waves. It differs given the circumstances and what feelings I am experiencing at that time.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“The themes I portray happen in stages, and they evolve as my inspiration changes through different stages in life. I enjoy the feeling of making my viewers happy!”
Which artists influence you most?
“Growing up as a child, I had books from impressionists and post-impressionists. To name a few: Paul Cezanne, Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Edgar Degas, and also the beautiful landscapes from Ivan Shishkin.”
How would you describe your work?
“My work is an evolution, and it changes its forms and shapes as I evolve as an artist. It is always a work in progress, and I also like to experiment with mixed media, which provides texture and a 3D feeling for some of my paintings. I work with nature, landscapes, portraits and abstracts. My paintings are reflections of my mood.”
“You could compare my work to music - sometimes I like to listen to classical music, but sometimes I like rock, jazz or R&B. It is the same with my work, the way the theme and technique varies. And with time, my aim is to keep getting better!”
What is your creative process like?
“It is usually an event that triggers my inspiration with a not so perfect vision of the final look. I start painting, and as I work, each painting progresses, allowing changes to flow depending on what I see. Sometimes I just let the brush go by itself and the painting is done by layering, until it feels complete. Other times I leave the painting to be in my sight for a couple of days/weeks, and do touch ups from time to time. I usually donate my work to fundraising events to benefit various charities. It brings me great joy that my work has been able to benefit non-profit organizations and their causes, and at the same time make some people proud owners of my work.”
What process, materials, techniques, etc., do you use to create your artwork?
“I started out with oil on canvas, but later moved to acrylic as it was more convenient in terms of smell and cleaning. I love to occasionally mix other materials, and I even place some objects to experiment with their shapes and forms. It is interesting how sometimes things are near us, but we don’t notice their beauty until we place a focus on them and give them a spotlight.”
What is your favourite artwork and why?
“My favourite work is ‘Starry Night’ by Vincent Van Gogh – my breath was taken away when I stood in front of that painting in d’Orsay in Paris. I have never seen something more magnificent in my life. The colors and light it reflected was out of this world, and it was one of the most emotional moments in my life, bringing tears to my eyes. I have seen that painting on TV, media and in prints, but when I saw it with my own eyes, it was a profound experience.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“I believe that artists have a power in today’s world like never before, and it is evolving and getting stronger all the time. They are challenging the status quo. Social media platforms that allow easy access to millions of people can not only be decorative (pleasant or unpleasant), but also serve as powerful messaging tools on a deep emotional level, from an individual to societal point of view. This can create or affect movements, values or beliefs.
I also believe the evolution will be for artists to collaborate and create massive joint work projects that were not possible before. The world is a small place now, and there are minimal obstacles to both art and the artist's imagination.”
