This week’s creative space belongs to painter, illustrator and muralist, Aleksandra Paranchenko. Aleksandra is a multidisciplinary artist whose creative interests have spanned a broad spectrum over the course of her professional career.
Join us as we learn more about Aleksandra's artistic mission, discuss the features of an ideal workspace, and the importance of natural light in the creative process.
What do you create?
The main direction in creativity is painting, illustration and murals. I also like to experiment with natural materials and create voluminous installations.
What is your background and how did you get started? How long have you been creating art?
I am an artist by education, a creator by vocation. For as long as I can remember, I have always been involved in something: painting, dancing, an airplane modeling group, and much more. I was not bored with myself, and it has not changed now. I have been professionally engaged in creativity for over 16 years. During this time, I tried many directions: illustrations for photobanks, drawing, taught at an art school, sewed and tying author's dolls and toys, creating decor items and decorating rooms, window displays for holidays, decorating interior furniture, tried my hand at a jewelry store business, illustrated children's books, created scenographies for a puppet theater, painted walls, and made bas-reliefs.
There is no creative task that I would not cope with. I am interested in developing and learning about my capabilities, I want to try and master all types of creativity. One thing that remains constant is my love for painting and illustration, a feeling that has remained constant throughout my life. I always draw in a good mood and only good stories, I want to show the beauty of the world and the human soul.
How long have you been working from your art space, and can you explain the process of acquiring it?
I am new to this space. [I've been working from my art space] since I arrived in Sweden in the middle of summer 2022. I come from Ukraine and when the war broke out in my country, I was forced to leave my house and my former studio.
How would you describe your designated workspace, and what would you consider some of the pros and cons of working from it?
This great place for creativity is in the Art Residence Ateljé A-M, with white walls, a very high ceiling, and lots of natural light. There's good energy here because it's an old church building. It really is an ideal space. You can hardly find any downsides here.
What is your favorite part of your workspace? Do you have a favorite piece you've created in your studio space?
There's art and music equipment. It really is an ideal space. My workplace in the studio depends on the creative tasks set. If I want to work with watercolors and graphics, I sit at the table by the window. If I want to create a large painting I work near the wall, which is 7 meters long and more than 3 meters high.
Are there any new projects or pieces you're currently working on?
I am now continuing a series of symbolic works on the topic of faith and racial symbolism in Ukraine, since this topic is very personal to me. I started this series last summer when I came to Sweden and I still have a lot to tell through my work.
What advice would you give another artist on cultivating a designated art space?
The workplace is very individual and depends on the specifics of creativity. I can say that natural light plays a very important role. Try to choose a studio with large windows. And also the energy of the place is important, you have to be comfortable in the studio for a long time.
Thank you, Aleksandra, for sharing your creative space with us! Be sure to check out more of Aleksandra's work below:
Instagram: @paranchenko.art
Website: artparanchenko.com
We want to know the process behind the pieces we love. Studio Tours provides an intimate setting for visitors to get to know artists where they’re most comfortable — in their creative spaces.
Our Creative Spaces interview series highlights the work of makers and doers across all creative mediums, in an ever changing themed interview format. We want to provide an outlet for creators to share their stories, their process, and most importantly their art, in their own words.
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