Ballerina Painting

I was born in 1980 in Belarus, back when it was a part of the USSR, and back when kids never heard of Disney world or video games, but went to the museums and theaters instead. I started taking art classes at one of the local art schools when I was 8 years old, and was selected to participate in the art show for talented kids in Germany, which was a lot of fun. Although I was always told that I was very gifted, I never really considered pursuing a career as an artist: I went to Belarus State University, graduated with honors, got Master's in psychology, and was determined to have a practice, which never happened. So finally, 32 years old, stay at home mom, and a law student, I decided to give it a try, and to show my work to the world. I mostly paint at night, when my boys are sound asleep (they are 1.5 and 2.5 years old), because I don't like to be interrupted, so I get very little sleep, but feel amazing! One of my dear friends, who is an established artist in NC, Rebecca Rousseau, encouraged me to try entering some of the art shows, which I am doing right now. I am an international expressionist (was born in Russia, grew up in Belarus, and moved to the US in my 20th), which means I paint my own vision of reality: I purposefully distort and exaggerate the object in order to reproduce its true meaning. I'm easily recognized as an expressionist by the use of "intense color and agitated brushstrokes." It is said that expressionism "assessed itself mostly in Germany," so it is sort of a part of my DNA (my great grandparents were German), and one of my favorite Russian artists Kandinsky "was also an expressionism addict." I do all sorts of paintings, from landscapes to portraits, and looking forward to taking the journey into the exciting world of art!