10 Questions with Mariia Raskin

Mariia Raskin is an award-winning abstract artist born in 1979 in Kazakhstan and is currently Turkey-based. Graduated with honors from Moscow Textile University in 2001 with a degree in fashion design and in 2014 from Triphon Icon Painting School, she has been changing many art-related professions: body- art master, make-up artist, shop window designer, graphic designer, fashion and book illustrator. She also worked as an icon painter for five years. The most satisfaction Mariia gets has been working since 2019 as a full-time artist. She says that this occupation gives her the needed degree of freedom she has been striving for all these years. Mariia's painting technique - combining acrylic, oil, watercolor, and glass paints, helps her to achieve planned ideas and gives unusual and deep color schemes. She uses wide volumetric palette knife strokes with careful subtle details drawing to make viewers feel the contrasting combination of energy and serenity in her artworks. Mariia has been featured in art publications, and solo and group exhibitions locally and internationally. Her artworks are in private collections in the USA, Germany, Cyprus, Turkey, and Russia. Mariia is an International Association of Art member and juror in Apexart, a not-for-profit contemporary visual arts organization based in New York.

@raskinart

ARTIST STATEMENT

In Mariia's artworks, there is always a mystery to be solved by the viewer. Her artistic process is to combine strong imagination with her impression from fantastic movies and scientific research about the universe that she has ever seen or read. Mariia has created a series of abstract portraits, «Fantastic Creatures,» that answer the main question: What would human beings look like if they could change their appearance at will and modify their anatomy? She compares people with gods and gives them amazing properties that transform their appearance like a chameleon. Mariia's «Fantastic Creatures» can live on other planets, control the elements, and possess superpowers. She uses a unique oil painting technique to create a beautifully vibrant background on paper which she then paints over with acrylic colors.

In her series «Fantastic Landscapes,» Mariia shows what a natural landscape would look like if we could see the hidden energy. Through various color combinations and graphic forms, she transfers the play of emotions and feelings in their visual embodiment. The art objects in the paintings are intertwined with the background; they do not appear immediately but emerge as if from the depths.

Mariia uses an unusual combination of acrylic, glass paints, and textured foam on canvas to create this artwork series.

INTERVIEW

First of all, could you tell us a little more about your background? How did you develop into the artist you are today? 

I've been drawing since I was a kid, and it's something I'm very passionate about. I asked my parents to send me to a children's art school, where I enjoyed going. As a child, I loved to draw princesses in fashionable dresses and sew clothes for dolls. As a result of this passion, I went to Textile University and became a fashion designer. Then I worked in advertising, design, and computer graphics for a long time. But it is much more pleasant to draw by hand than on a computer. I have mastered a new and interesting direction - an icon painter. Here I learned a lot of new techniques and how to make paints from natural pigments. In 2019, I returned to the classical profession of painting because I can show all my imagination and not depend on the canons or requirements of the customer.  

What is your personal aim as an artist?

My personal goal as an artist is to bring positive energy to people through my paintings. When I draw a picture, I imagine how it will look in this or that interior. 

In your statement, you mention how in your paintings, "there is always a mystery to be solved by the viewer." Can you explain to us what you mean and what you want to communicate? 

I draw mostly abstract paintings or figurative portraits with elements of abstraction. The good thing about abstraction is that everyone can see something different in it, and each time it's new. That's the mystery that the viewer has to solve every day.

Let's talk about your series Fantastic Creatures and Fantastic Landscapes. What are your sources of inspiration?

The Fantastic Landscapes series is inspired by the beauty of nature in its various manifestations. Using different color combinations, I convey the beauty of the seasons. In my paintings, the viewer can guess the outlines of trees, blooming bushes, lakes, and light reflections. The Fantastic Creatures series is inspired by fantastic movies such as Avatar. The series is also inspired by various popular science articles about natural phenomena and stories about space. Here I give a person superpowers and an unusual appearance. 

What about the colors you use? Do they have any specific meaning? And how do you choose them?

Before I paint a picture, I make a draft of coloring for myself. Usually, I use 2-3 primary colors and shades of those colors. That way, the painting has a certain color scheme. I try to choose color combinations that will look good on the interior. I avoid aggressive color combinations, like red and black. 

What is the most challenging part of your work?

The most challenging thing in my work is when I want to introduce a new technique or material and start experimenting. It takes patience and faith in success. For example, when I started to use construction foam as an additional texture for my paintings, it took some time to work out well and organically.

How has your art evolved over the years? And what else would you like to experiment with?

I realized that drawing by hand is much more interesting and better than drawing on a computer. Now I am improving this skill. Paintings are coming out much faster than before. I have found my own style in my artwork. I would like to experiment with sculpture as well.

You use different types of paint, such as acrylic, oil, watercolor, and glass paints, which you combine in your work. How does it influence the final result? And what do you want to achieve with this mixture? 

Using glass paints in relation to canvas is my know-how. Glass paints give a bright spot of color and are more saturated than acrylics. The whole process looks like this: first, I apply texture with white acrylic paints to the canvas; sometimes, I use texture foam. Then I stamp with glass paints and finish with acrylic paints until I get a beautiful composition. If I paint on paper, I first make texture on it with oil paints and water. It's a kind of fluid art. All of this gives uniqueness to my artwork.

Do you have a role model that you've drawn inspiration from for your career or when creating your art?

Of course, I have my favorite artists. These are Georgia O'Keeffe and Nicholas Roerich. Sometimes I just look at paintings by contemporary artists on the Internet and notice nice color combinations, which I use in my work.

And finally, do you have any upcoming plans or projects you would like to share with our readers?

Right now, I'm finishing up the Fantastic Creatures series, and my abstract artwork Sunshine Reggae is shown at ArtboxProject New York 2.0 Exhibition in New York. I invite the readers of this interview to visit my Instagram @raskinart and see my other paintings.