10 Questions with Svetlana Shavrina

Svetlana Shavrina is an Eastern European painter based in Dubai, UAE, and a member of the Artists Trade Union of Russia. Her journey to canvas is unique, weaving together the precision of mathematics with the fluidity of art. 

After graduating with a Math degree from Samara State University, she continued to nurture the creative spirit that blossomed during her time at a professional ballet school. It was her dream to join the mathematics precision, the beauty viewing and smoothness of the dance, honing in the ballet school, in something more. So, she found her inspiration in art and made her dream come true. Increasing her skills and knowledge at Samara's Art School N1, she's finely earned recognition as a member of the Artists Trade Union of Russia and holds certification from Akoun, France.

Her artistic journey began with the gentle strokes of soft pastels, capturing the quiet charm of cityscapes. Today, she is drawn to the timeless allure of oils and palette knife painting.  With vibrant colors and a warm palette, she strives to infuse each piece with a sense of tranquility and inspiration.  Her canvases, often depicting nature's landscapes in a post-impressionistic style, are the love letter to the world's beauty.

She participated in the different International art exhibitions, museum expositions and art-fairs. The last one was the amazing art exhibition, World ART Dubai, in the UAE this year, where she presented several landscape paintings. She will take a part in an Art Exhibitions in Paris and Mulhouse in France soon.

As experimental style she has created limited collections in abstract and psychedelic. She has painted just several works, but all of them are emotional and soulful.

shavrina.com | @djesska_art

ARTIST STATEMENT

Her oil paintings celebrate the beauty and emotion of nature. Inspired by Impressionism, she uses vibrant colors and expressive brushstrokes to capture the feeling of being in a landscape – whether it's a sunny field, a windy coast, or a quiet forest path. 

She loves how light and shadow play together and how colors and textures shift. Her goal is to share not just the visual beauty of nature but the emotions it brings – peace, joy, wonder, and a feeling of connection. However, the beauty of art lies in its subjectivity, and while the serenity of the scene might touch her perception, the viewer's connection to it may be far more intimate.

She hopes her paintings invite you to slow down, appreciate the extraordinary in the everyday, and find peace in nature's embrace. And maybe you find something new at the moment gazing upon her art that inspire you to see the world around in a new setting.

INTERVIEW

First of all, can you share how your background in math influences your artistic approach and style?

Mathematics is a creative science and is closely related to art and painting. Painters have used mathematical concepts since the 4th century BC. e. It was mathematics that provided artists with tools such as linear perspective and the analysis of symmetries and gave them all kinds of geometric objects, for example, polyhedra or the Möbius strip. At the beginning of my studies in art at Art School, math helped me a lot, and the knowledge of geometry is now used in any sketches, drawings of people, portraits and faces, buildings, and even landscapes in terms of perspective. Nowadays, the importantinstrument in math for me is the Fibonacci sequence. This is a series of numbers where each next one is equal to the sum of the previous two: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34 and so on. Sometimes, I use it for landscape sketches. 

What inspired your transition from ballet to visual arts, and how do these two forms of expression complement each other?

I love classical ballet and started studying at a professional ballet school at five years old; from that moment, spending time with creative people such as musicians, artists, poets, dancers, and painters worked for my growth positively. Visiting ballet performances and rehearsals was an important part of my life, so I had no opportunity to do anything else professionally except the main education and the ballet.  On weekends or in tiny spaces in my schedule, I drew sketches. There were ballerinas, pointe shoes, stage costumes, and beautiful buildings around me.  A friend of mineonce taught me how to paint with oils, and we painted several landscapes together on canvas and on the wall in my room. When I finished dancing, I went to Art School and started my career as a painter. I would like to capture the movement of dance in static. Later, I changed my style to landscape to capture the beauty of the world.

Why did you initially choose soft pastels, and what drew you to eventually work with oils and palette knife painting?

I still love soft pastels; nowadays, I use both soft and oil pastels because of the warm palette, ease of use, and natural colors. The most pleasant thing is that the pastel can be shaded with my fingers, like putting my energy into the painting. When I started studying at Art School, I found the advantages of oil for painting, how to mix the paints, the texture, and masks of oil, and how they can create art effects like volume and depth. 

How do you select the subjects for your cityscapes and landscapes?

I enjoy traveling and love to discover interest and unpopular places to see. Usually I try to paint  at least one landscape after each trip. I had an amazing trip to the Chinese province -  Zhouzhuang, and travelled across all of India, Brazil, Cuba, Nepal, Europe, and Arabian countries. I would like to create a collection of paintings from all countries where I have ever been. 

Can you describe your creative process when starting a new painting?

First of all - atmosphere! I have special space in my house. The atmosphere should be comfortable and cosy. I love to be among plants and flowers with fresh air, beautiful flavour, relax soulful music and of course, a cup of coffee with some sweets for the positive mood.

What role do vibrant colors and a warm palette play in conveying a sense of tranquility and inspiration in your work?

Yeah, I usually use a warm palette, bright and light colours for oil works. I pour my emotional expression onto the canvas to convey to viewers what  I see and feel using the soft brush strokes and harmonious colours bringing an energy of calmness and inspiration to any piece of art.

How has your post-impressionistic style evolved over time, and what artists or movements have influenced you?

So my favorite painters are Van Gogh, Henri Matisse, and Frida Kahlo.  I learned their biography, what influenced their painting, how they felt about the world, why they started painting, and what they would like to tell people via art. I visit all art performances, exhibitions, and museums expositions with their painting. I feel energy and expression, viewing their canvases. Of course, all of these influence me, my style, and my approach. Sometimes, I try something new for myself, like painting in a pure impressionism style or postmodernism or abstract. It depends on my mood, life balance, and feeling in that moment. However, post-impressionism is still my main approach and style. 

What do you hope viewers feel or experience when they look at your paintings?

As I mentioned I use  harmonious colours and warm palette to capture the serene beauty of world around. I believe itmakes people happier and  more peaceful . I hope I bring a sense of calm strength and inspiration to any space via my art.

Can you discuss a particular piece of art that holds special meaning for you and why?

Tuscany Italy, oil on canvas, 2019 - In this oil painting, I've captured a famous place in Italy with soft brushstrokes and harmonious colors that evoke a nostalgic serenity. This impressionist scene, rooted in nature's embrace, is an invitation toa peaceful retreat. The original painting was shot in a promotional video and presented in a private collection in London, UK.

What are your future plans or projects, and what new themes or techniques are you excited to explore?

This year, I will participate in two art exhibitions in France, in Paris - in October and Mulhouse - in November, where I will represent mostly my landscape paintings in post-impressionism style and some pieces of art -  in postmodernism. Maybe next year I would like to have a solo exhibition in Europe. As an experimental style, I have created a psychedelic limited collection of oil pastels on paper and abstract oil paintings on canvas. I have painted just several works in new styles, but all of them are very sensual and important to me. 

Artist’s Talk

Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.