Elena Alyoshina

Could you tell us about your journey into painting? What inspired you to start creating artworks recently?

Painting has always been an inseparable part of my life, though for various reasons it remained only a small part. But a few months ago, I felt an irresistible passion for immersing myself more deeply in creativity… I no longer wanted to postpone this part of my life, as I had done before, and I hurried to the market for brushes and paints…

You have a background in economics and work in the oil industry — how do these two worlds (corporate and creative) coexist in your life?

Indeed, at first glance it may seem that these worlds are absolutely polar, but in reality they complement each other quite harmoniously: my office work, with the necessity of following various corporate rules, and my art, which provides freedom of thought and space for imagination… it is like the change of seasons, each original and beautiful in its own way.

Many of your works feature gold, textured elements, and strong feminine figures. What themes are you exploring through these visuals?

Through these images in my work, I strive to express the multifaceted essence of womanhood in this world, highlighting it with shades of gold and various textural elements — such as mirrored chips and quartz sand.

Do your paintings reflect personal experiences, emotions, or symbolic stories?

A priori, my works are a mix of personal life experience, real stories, and lived emotions with a certain degree of fantasy.

Can you describe your creative process? Do you plan each painting in advance or is it more spontaneous?

My creative process is an unpredictable thing. An idea comes suddenly, and I create a sketch; after that, it depends on whether I have the time and energy to paint. Sometimes I can’t touch a painting for several months, and other times I lose track of time—after working in the office, I crave diving into creativity and paint late into the night.

What materials or techniques do you enjoy working with the most?

I use mixed techniques, but my current favorites are acrylic, texture paste, and the whimsical gold leaf… For a more vivid visual effect, I also incorporate elements such as mirror chips and glitter.

Is there a message or feeling you hope viewers take away from your art?

Through my works, I invite the viewer to immerse themselves in reflections on the emotional dimension of the inner and outer worlds of people, as well as on the presence of duality as a whole. The ultimate goal of these reflections is discovery – a conscious understanding that becomes a source of strength. In other words, my artistic concept is a flow of experience and feelings expressed through art.

My works are not enough to simply look at – they must be felt.