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Art medium(s): Brush, paints, canvas, carpet, oilcloth, hardboard.

How do you describe your art? Narrative. My painting is a kind of journalism, so I like to combine paintings into series (Dreams of My Childhood, The Last Refuge of the Leader, The Boy on the Red Horse, Dolls, Lonely Eve). In my paintings, I tell stories that often have a complex, intricate plot. Even if it is a still life – it is also a story, the story of my mood, my life situation. I think that an art critic loyal to me would call my work conceptual.

Have you always been interested in following a creative path? Yes. I graduated from a specialized children’s music (piano class) and art school. But I dreamed of being a writer, as a child I always wrote some stories and several of them were published in the city newspaper.

I did not know that there were special universities that teach the profession of a writer, so I entered the faculty of journalism. The experience of working in newspapers and magazines came in handy for me to create images and plots for my books (I wrote them after all!). And today, when I have completely switched to painting, this experience helps me create deep and interesting paintings.

What does your “day-in-the-life” look like? Like the day of a turtle with wings, which moves slowly, but, if necessary, quickly takes off! In the mornings I lie in bed for a long time, then drink coffee for a long time, then walk around the house from corner to corner, and then stand at the canvas, and – that’s it! Time stops. Sometimes for 10-12 hours. This is a happy time that belongs only to me and the cosmos. And what incredible thoughts and revelations dawn on me during these hours!

Where do you get your creative inspiration? In the life around me, in memories of the past, in thoughts about the future.

Why do you love what you do? Probably because I am a gossip at heart: I like to tell stories. I like it when people “stop”, “listen” to me, listen to themselves, think about those obvious things that they simply do not have time to think about. Unfortunately, few people read books today. My paintings are a kind of “books” that people do not need much time to read. Painting for me is a missionary work.

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Is there one thing that most people do not know, how to be an artist? First: most people do not know that anyone can be an artist. This function is built into us at birth. It is no coincidence that one of the reforms of Peter I, the great Russian tsar-reformer, sounded like “all illegitimate children – to become artists”! Second: to be an artist, you should not be afraid that you will fail – none of the viewers knows how your painting should actually look. Therefore, everything you do is right! The main thing is not to try to be like someone!

An early plaque or an owl? Oh! I am a textbook owl!

The last book you read: “It is Finite and Infinite Games” by James Carse. The book impressed me with the idea that there are two main approaches to life: playful and non-playful, despite the fact that play is not only entertainment, but also one of the main forms of our life. The book makes you think about what game you are playing. In turn, this awareness changes the perception and assessment of yourself, life goals and results.

Is the glass half full or half empty? Half full – always!

What makes you the happiest? Love. It is the only thing worth living and dying for. And only love can save our maddened world.

Find more of Irina’s work on Instagram @iravish and Facebook: IraVish