Yulia Khazova

Year of birth: 25.12.1979.
Your education: music school (piano class), Baikal State University in Irkutsk (major — economics and management in transport).
Describe your art in three words: I would describe my style as intuitive painting, if such a term applies.
Your discipline: abstract textured painting.
Website | Instagram

Your journey as an artist is unconventional, starting from music and banking. How has this diverse background influenced your artistic expression?

If painting is my love, then music is my passion, and it directly influences my creativity. Almost all of my works are created under the impression of music in one way or another. I enjoy various genres of music and do not limit myself to any specific type. Music evokes emotions that are then reflected in my paintings.  

As for the banking field, the experience and skills I gained there are also useful in my art: a systematic approach, discipline, planning, the ability to work hard, and negotiate. My first clients and buyers were former colleagues. They were also the first to support me on my path of change, along with my family.

What led you to explore textured abstract painting, and how do you balance color and texture in your works?

As a viewer, I have always been drawn to volumetric paintings, whether it’s thick impasto techniques with oil or acrylic, or mixed techniques using texture pastes or appliqué. You can almost feel the surface of the image. It seems as if it’s about to step out of the canvas. I would say that it creates a sense of presence. I became interested in applying such techniques in my own art, and the experiments began, which I absolutely love :).  

In my works, color is still the primary element. It plays the main role. Texture serves as a supporting tool: to emphasize or enhance color, line, or form. But sometimes texture can become the main protagonist (as in the work “Dream!”). The combination of color and texture helps me more vividly and accurately convey the concept, creating a play of light and shadow.

Yulia Khazova | The Time Loop

Your art is focused on evoking emotions and introspection in viewers. How do you approach creating such emotionally engaging pieces?

The foundation of my paintings lies in my own emotions. How and what I feel, I transfer onto the canvas. The viewer, in turn, may experience different feelings and find other meanings, see their own images. The most important thing is that they are not indifferent — for me, that’s the greatest reward. I’ll share a story. Once, on the opening day of an exhibition, I received a call from an unfamiliar woman asking if she could buy one of the exhibited works: “I can’t sleep, I close my eyes and it (the painting) is before me.” Of course, as the author, it’s joyful to create a piece that makes someone a little bit happier.

What inspires your choice of themes and colors in your textured abstract paintings?

Once again, emotions and feelings inspire me. And their sources can be nature, encounters, events, and of course, art (painting, music, photography, cinema) — anything that prompts us to feel and empathize. I’m a very sensitive and emotional person. Often excessively so :))). And then I pour my whirlwind onto the canvas. In this sense, creativity serves as a kind of therapy for me.

Yulia Khazova | Birth

Could you describe your creative process? How do you begin a painting, and how do you decide when it’s finished?

The process begins with the emergence of an image, often very blurry. At the initial stage, there is usually no clear idea of the composition, plot, or form, no final concept. Only colors and/or their combinations are defined. The rest emerges in the process. The work starts with creating the background, working with color, and transitioning from one shade to another. As the canvas is covered with color, the composition is born, and based on the composition, texture is introduced, forms and details are defined. In the final stages, small details and elements are refined.  

I never (or almost never) know what the finished piece will look like. It can change drastically during the creative process. This was the case with the works “Dawn” and “Time Loop.”  

I judge the completion of a painting by my inner feelings: if I don’t feel the need to add or change anything, then it’s ready.  

Key features of the process in my art would be spontaneity and intuition. Of course, complete control isn’t excluded, and analysis of the work is present, especially in the final stage. But the driving force is precisely the spontaneity.

You left a stable career to pursue art full-time. What challenges and rewards have you encountered on this journey?

Oh! This is such an interesting topic; I could talk about it for a long time :))). Perhaps one day I’ll write a book about it :).  

The fulfillment of a dream — that’s probably the greatest reward! A strong feeling that you are in the right place, that you exist. And yes, the freedom in decision-making: I, and only I, determine how my working day, week, or year will unfold.  

And the difficulties… Transitioning from being a system person (the banking sector — a rather rigid structure) to freelancing, where there’s no stability in income, orders, or schedule. And the fight with imposter syndrome. I don’t have a formal art education. I’ve studied disciplines like composition, color theory, and drawing on my own.

Yulia Khazova | Listening to the Silence

What advice would you give to aspiring self-taught artists who are just beginning their journey?

In those moments when you face disappointment, despondency, or thoughts of giving up, turn to like-minded people. You are not alone on your path; someone has already gone through similar doubts. In the company of like-minded people, you’ll find support, practical advice, and help. And overall, treat the journey and everything you encounter along the way as an adventure. Sometimes it makes sense not to focus too much on the goal and not obsess over the result, but simply enjoy the process. What will happen if… ? Who am I when I face… ? Shift your focus from expectations, and any result will be interesting!