– Hello, Natalya. You have been in America for over twenty years. And we know you as a creative and versatile person. Right now art is a priority in your life. How did you start drawing?
I am originally from Krivoy Rog, Ukraine. My mother often took me to exhibitions of paintings and museums. I liked to draw what I saw. With great persistence, I copied old postcards. I adored lessons in fine arts at an art school, so I decided to continue my studies at the Krivoy Rog State Pedagogical Institute. There were no artists in my large family, and no one thought that my hobby could become my profession – a teacher of drawing and drawing.
– Please tell us a little about your creative path.
While studying at the institute, I also worked in a design art workshop. The studio brought together artists of different levels. There I learned how to design tablets, signboards, wall painting and Petrikov painting. After graduation, I wanted to go to work in a school. But life worked itself out in its own way. In 1996 I left for America.
– What difficulties did you face in America? Did you manage to continue doing what you love?
In America I worked in enterprises not related to art. But painting has always been important and I worked on it in parallel. I attended exhibitions, museums, and galleries. I met other artists and artistic directions. In 2006 I went to work in a Russian school. I taught painting classes for children and adults. I also organized master classes using different materials.
Of course, there was a demand for individual lessons as well. But only in 2021 I decided to completely go into painting and art.
– This year you are organizing an exhibition of your works. Are you excited about how the public will react to the paintings?
Of course! Support is very important to an artist. This year there will be my first one-man show, Four Elements, on November 6th at Degallery, Bryan TX. The exhibition will feature works made in the modern direction of abstract painting, reminiscent of natural objects – stone cuts, mineral deposits, mountain landscapes. I got acquainted with the technique of liquid acrylic only in America. It turned out that you can create beautiful abstract canvases using liquid acrylic paints and resins.
– What is your work about: about ideals and the sublime or about the social and modern?
All my work is about me. I am researching the issues of energy replenishment. In search of energy, I invite the viewer to listen to their feelings, associating themselves with rhythm, light, color and a spot on the plane of the picture. On my canvases there are abstractions that show the power of nature. And the uniqueness of my art is that I deliberately go into the unknown and urge everyone to find their source of energy.
– What do you do in your free time besides painting? Please tell us a little about your hobbies.
I travel a lot and it inspires me to paint. I study the visual method of working with the subconscious – neurographics. I am learning to combine painting and psychology. I love music, Latin American dances, and theater. I do yoga and swim every day.
– What are your plans for the near future?
In the spring I will participate in an interesting art project “DEGART 2022” (https://www.artdega.org/programs/degart-2022/). Artists from all states will gather for this event. This is a good opportunity to get acquainted with new trends in painting and art. After all, an artist never stands still, you need to constantly develop. Of course, I would like to participate more in exhibitions, competitions, fairs, and joint presentations of works.
– What is your advice to your students, aspiring artists?
To not be afraid to create and experiment. Any picture will find its viewer. We are different and our perception of art is different.
Thank you for an interesting conversation. We wish you creative success.
Contact information:
Natalya Holbrook
natalyaholbrook@gmail.com
Natalya Holbrook
https://www.facebook.com/ArtStudioNatalya/
https://www.instagram.com/artstudionatalya/