For our Unleash Your Creativity Course, I host together with Vicky from in de wonderkamer, we thought it would be ultra fun to invite 4 (!!!!) international artists to host live zoom workshops. In the months October and November every 2 weeks another awesome artist will teach a one hour zoom workshop. One of these amazing artists is Viktorija Semjonova, we are beyond excited and can’t wait for the 26th of October to tune in to her workshop. In the meantime we asked her some questions about her and her work. So scroll down to read all about her favourite artists and materials, her work place and much more! We can’t wait to see you there!
What is your favourite medium/material to work with?
My absolute favourite materials to work with is gouache, ink, pencils and oil pastels. I think that my favourite material to work with is that NEW material or tool I got. It’s so fun to play around with new things, explore and learn something. Lately I’ve been sketching a lot with a set of kids gouache and I’m having a BLAST! 🙂
What is your dream assignment? Who/what would you loooove to design for?
My dream assignment would be working with a coffee company designing for them coffee packaging, logo, mural for their caffè and the whole brand identity! 🙂 And so so many more! Like writing and illustrating my own book, curating a contemporary illustration exhibition would be on my top priority list! 🙂
Who are your favourite artists?
My favourite artists are Tove Jansson, David Hockney, Saul Steinberg, Yayoi Kusama, Sonya Delaney, Ann Veronica Janssens, Olafur Eliasson, Carson Ellis & Charlotte Ager and MANY many more! It’s so hard to say, I love art and illustration and am very greedy at consuming it and experiencing it. Visiting galleries and exhibitions makes my heart sing.
Can you describe your work table/studio?
My studio space has a desk for editing files and admin, it’s usually crammed with things which need to go somewhere or need something to be done to them, then there is working desk usually it’s CHAOS! Pencils, paints, jars, brushes, more paints, test paper, test paper. Small storage units for all the paper, paints, a few shelves to display my work and inspiration. Two cute plants to brighten up the space. I tidy it up every week and then by the end of it it’s chaos again.
What skill(s) would you love to learn?
I would love to learn paint making, traditional printing techniques and maybe a handstand!
What inspires you?
So many things! Music, films, art, talking to other creatives, experimenting with new materials.
Please describe your perfect day for us.
A working day or a day off? A perfect day always involves a good cup of coffee and either a hike up in the mountains or a swim. Preferably while it’s sunny. And when there is time to create with no expectations, just experiment and see where the process takes me. And good food, maybe friends and family. Am I describing a week now? 🙂
What is the most valuable lesson you have learned as an artist?
That health comes first! Exercise, stretches, good food. That sometimes it’s ok to step away from drawing and go for a walk, that enjoying small life pleasures is as important as a strong creative practice. And that you can’t create free and fun work when you are not having fun. 🙂
What makes your creative heart tick?
Learning new things and sharing drawing and creativity with others!
And that is exactly what she will be doing july the 27th! Tickets will be available from jJune first (limited spots!) and will be part of the course or buy tickets for the workshop separately.
Thank you so much Viktorija for a small peak into your artist life!
See more of her work her on Instagram.
Also make sure to check out her amazing book here.
