We recently connected with Aleksandra Stone and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Aleksandra, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is Teeth for Sale, a painting series that follows my own journey through life’s complexities, told through the character of the Bird—a stand-in for myself. At its core, the series is both an artistic exploration and a reflection on the way we construct our identities. It’s about how we build our personal narratives, weaving together the full spectrum of our experiences—good, bad, and everything in between—into something whole.
The Bird moves through a surreal, sitcom-like world, with each piece reflecting moments from my experience. This world is at once whimsical and uneasy, a place where humor and tension coexist, offering a window into how identity is shaped over time. The first painting, Baby Bird, introduces the Bird alongside Mother and Father, the key figures in a larger family dynamic. This piece sets the tone for the series: a moment suspended in time, where the struggles of growing up are rendered in exaggerated, childlike depictions. Teeth appear throughout the series as a recurring motif—symbols of growth, loss, resilience, and transformation. Just as teeth fall out and regenerate, we shed parts of ourselves over time, replacing them with something new. These changes are central to the Bird’s journey, mirroring the way we evolve and adapt through life’s challenges.
Another work, a functional chess table sculpture, turns these dynamics into a playable metaphor. The Bird Family becomes the chess pieces, offering a tangible representation of the mental games inherent in complex relationships—strategy, conflict, and resolution all in motion.
Throughout the series, I’ve embraced a childlike aesthetic—bold shapes, simplified figures, and bright colors. This approach is not just stylistic; it mirrors how we sometimes revisit and process our most formative experiences, often seeing them through the lens of childhood innocence and imagination.
What Teeth for Sale offers, at its core, is a candid look at how we navigate the complexities of identity. The Bird’s journey is my own, but it is also an invitation for others to reflect on their own stories: to consider how we navigate our personal histories and ultimately decide who we want to be.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I’m a Yugoslavian-born American artist based in Dallas, Texas, working in painting, photography, and multimedia. My art is driven by a fascination with how time shapes the stories we tell about ourselves—how our identities evolve through the experiences we live, the histories we inherit, and the memories we carry with us. At the heart of my work is an exploration of identity—how it is constantly evolving, influenced by both the visible and invisible forces around us. Through my art, I seek not only to reflect on my own experiences but to invite others to reflect on their own stories and the world that shapes them.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
What I’ve had to unlearn is the idea of success—or more precisely, the version we’re so often taught to chase: steady progress, hitting milestones by a certain age, the notion that life unfolds in a clear, linear path if we’re doing it “right.” For creatives, this tension is especially sharp. Our work doesn’t always fit neatly into boxes or timelines. There’s a lot of noise about what success in the art world should look like—the gallery shows, the collectors, the big openings. Those markers matter, but they’re not the whole story.
The more I let go of that version of success, the more I’ve come to see it as something you define for yourself. It’s not about external validation or fitting into a timeline. It’s in the quiet persistence of creating with honesty, in showing up to do the work, and in choosing to keep going—even when the world suggests you’re not where you should be. Success, I think, isn’t about where you arrive. It’s about how you keep moving forward.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the process of turning an idea into reality. It’s about seeing something in my head and then figuring out how to make it exist in the world. The joy is in the problem-solving—the troubleshooting, the small breakthroughs, the moments when things finally click. While the finished piece is deeply satisfying, it’s the creative challenges along the way that keep me coming back.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.aleksandrastone.com
- Instagram: stone_aleksandra
