I Sense a Presence Drawing

Bio I was born in 1997 in Pärnu, Estonia, to a Russian speaking family. However, I have spent most of my life in England. I studied fine art for my bachelor's degree at Arts University Bournemouth and graduated with honors. Currently, I am studying visual culture, curating and contemporary art at Aalto University. My skillset is very traditional, which is an advantage in painting as I build my own canvas’, make my own tempera, and often install my own works. Despite being a young artist at the beginning of my career, I have been lucky enough to participate in both group and solo exhibitions, one artist residency, and many fundraising events, such as auctions. Some of the most memorable and noteworthy include a group show at The Truman Brewery in London, an open studio exhibition at Via Farini in Milan, and a video broadcast on Visual Container TV (visualcontainer.tv). Statement. Contemporary thinking applied to traditional methodology is an essential part of my artistic practice. My approach is hands on. I like to create and experiment, primarily using traditional drawing and painting techniques. However, I have also utilized moving image, video installation and sculpture in the past. Now, I work primarily with acrylic paints and mediums on traditional canvas or panel board of medium scale. Often, my works are a series of paintings, forming a flowing narrative. I am inspired by the unconscious - both the ambiguity of the concept itself and its role in my own psyche. What is the role of the unconscious in art, and how can art be used to communicate with the unconscious content in our minds? These are the questions that drive my research. The unknown, mysterious, and intangible have always been the driving force of my artistic curiosity; the more elusive the subjects, the more likely I am to find artistic value in it. On the other hand, I learn through making, which allows the work to reveal something unexpected. I allow my work to emerge intuitively and via any means available, sometimes it is automatic drawing, sometimes collage, and sometimes poetry. All are equally valuable to me because they serve as little pieces to the great puzzle of the unconscious mind. Trusting my instincts allows me to learn and understand through the process of making, although I find just as much value in not understanding at all.