My Story

Hello there! Hope, you are having nice time! 

Please grab a cup of coffee, and let’s get to know each other better ☕❤️

I’m a self-taught visual artist currently living and working in Tbilisi, Georgia who has jumped down from her high heels and dramatically changed her career by returning to her life-long passion – art.

{‘must be’ paragraph how clever, awesome and outstanding I am is missing} 😄

As my parents say, I was painting from the time I could hold a brush in my hands. However, I didn’t become a painter until much later.

When the time came for me to choose a profession everything in my country turned upside down – after 70 years of Communist dictatorship, the USSR collapsed and the whole post-Soviet space, including my country, was literally drowned in permanent political, economic and social crises, armed massacres and complete chaos. Everything that people knew became useless.

Violence became a next-door neighbor. There were multiple wars, armed conflicts, and bloody massacres in the streets. There was no power or heating. My city was frozen and full of refugees and widows dressed in black. The smell of kerosene and burnt tires choked the air. There was no work, no transport, no gas or electricity, water, no food, no perspectives and no hope. THERE WERE ALSO NO PAINTS!

It was not the time to chase dreams. Instead, it was a time of survival.

And I survived. 

I discovered how remarkable it is to examine yourself whilst in the midst of different difficulties and realize you still have the resolve and motivation to move forward.

I don’t complain about those difficult years – freedom is the most important treasure in the world and I know it always has a price.    

A consequence for me was a need to re-define my goals and make them more realistic and achievable in my country’s unstable context. So, instead of entering an arts academy, I graduated with a master’s degree in an absolutely different field.

I chose a career using one of my hundred useless talents – writing and curiosity and became a journalist. In a corrupted system, rotten to core, you can always find things to investigate.

During my years as a journalist, I felt like a character of action movie. I was working as a reporter, editor, journalism trainer, and head of a regional hub of an international media organization. It was life in the fast lane of a highway without knowing how to get off.

For a time, deep in my heart, I hoped something would go wrong and I could change my career but everything went extremely well. I realized it is difficult to turn your back on success 

So, for many years I was doing everything but painting. I avoided any contact with the art world and did not attend (or report on) any art exhibitions as I didn’t want to torment myself.

I never found time to draw and the chalk pastels I had bought with my first student stipend had smashed and turned into colorful powder. I didn’t think I would ever draw or paint again.

…and then one day something inside me changed. I was decorating the garden wall with a mural and I realized that I couldn’t put the brush down again. Not anymore…

I started spending more time in art shops marveling at wonderful (for me) things – papers, pencils, paints, pastels… there were plenty of them!

So I left the past behind and began a different journey – again! (OMG) Accepting such a dramatic change was scary and uncertain but I’ve decided to be brave and go for it 💪😃

Well… it took long tough times to re-discover my ‘inner artist’ J Is it too late? I don’t know. Let’s see. A Chinese proverb says, the best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is today.  

I’m opening my personal art website now and hope it will become the second best time.

MY FAMILY AND OTHER ANIMALS

Although I created this website as a journal of my art journey and artsy lifestyle generally, I need to say couple of words about my family members in case they invade to my blog pages and occupy some part of it. Or at least actively participate in the stories, I’ll post here as I wouldn’t be able to restart my career if not their support.

CAST OF CHARACTERS:

The head of the family – Monkey aka Minkey (a shortened version of Mini Monkey) who is actually a cat and not a monkey. We rescued her from the street five years ago. She was dirty, hungry, and thirsty and had a broken leg. We cleaned her up, fed her and fixed her leg and she has been with us ever since. She currently serves as the boss of the household and like all cats is a self-proclaimed princess. She was definitely put on earth to rule!

Minkey is the busiest member of our family. Her responsibilities include the supervision of my artistic work. As an art curator, she closely monitors my progress and ensures that everything is done according to her exquisite taste.

Caucasian Shepherd dog Moses – a pretty girl, not a boy as might be expected by her name. When she was born, her behavior reminded me of the silly seal Moses from Vi på Saltkråkan by Astrid Lindgren, so I named her Moses.

Moses is a large dog and scary looking but she is a sweet and most loving creature who still thinks she is a puppy who can still jump on your lap. She doesn’t mind that she is five years old already and weighs nearly 70 kilos. Her job description is not too long. She is just responsible for being lovely and cuddly for family members and scary for imaginary intruders. 

My teenage son lives in his own self-proclaimed kingdom in a part of our house where moms, pets and cameras are not allowed. He has grown up quicker than I could ever have imagined was possible and I require special permission to take a photo of him. Well… this time I didn’t get that permission 

And at last my wonderful, very supportive life partner Mike Bear, who persistently supports one of my hobbies – cooking. He probably is only Englishman in Georgia who has actually tasted every single Georgian dish. His current size of waist is directly proportional reflection of this support.

WHAT YOU’LL FIND ON THIS WEBSITE

Most importantly, it is a place to display my greatest passions – drawings, paintings, digital art and photography.   

There will also be space where I can accumulate and share my new personal or professional achievements and struggles, any knowledge I acquire, and tips and tricks that help me in working process and, which maybe, will be useful for you too.

This blog will be my digital home and the place where I share inspirations. My art adventure makes me happy and I want to share this happiness with others 

All photos are mine unless another author is credited.

I hope you will enjoy your time on this website. I’ll feel privileged and honored if you spend your time here, with me.

Move forward and have a lovely day! That’s what I’m doing right now 😃❤️