We were lucky to catch up with Sandra Vucicevic recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sandra, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I’ve always felt destined to be an artist. From the moment I could hold a pencil, I was sketching, painting, and turning wild ideas into various creations. My work often surprised people—even as a child, they doubted I was the artist behind it because it seemed too advanced for someone my age.
Though no one in my family was a visual artist, I grew up immersed in creativity. My father was a poet, my brother a musician, and our home buzzed with fascinating minds and soulful conversations. I’d attend poetry evenings with my dad, meeting artists and dreamers who left lasting impressions on me. Those early memories etched the idea of a creative life deep into my identity.
Still, growing up in Serbia, pursuing a professional career in the arts felt nearly impossible – there simply weren’t many opportunities at the time. So, when it came time to choose a college, practicality won, and I enrolled in law school instead of following my artistic instincts.
After graduating and getting married, I moved to New York, a city pulsing with creativity and possibility. Once again, I found myself at a crossroads: Should I follow a more conventional path, or return to the one that had always felt true to me? This time, I chose art. I went back to college, earned my art degree, and have now been a full-time artist for nearly 15 years. That decision changed my life, allowing me to reconnect with the passion I never stopped believing in.

Sandra, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a Serbian multidisciplinary artist based in New York City. I earned my art degree from Hunter College and hold a law degree from the University of Belgrade.
My creative practice spans painting, drawing, mixed media, and conceptual projects involving audience participation. I also design handcrafted art jewelry under my brand ARTBYSANDRAV, with each piece inspired by my original artwork. Most recently, I’ve been integrating Augmented Reality into my visual compositions, inviting viewers to experience art in immersive, unconventional ways.
A core inspiration behind my artwork is the concept of the ambiguous nature of reality. I’ve always been intrigued by dreams and how they challenge the boundaries of the world we perceive. Do familiar objects and scenes conceal a secret dimension, a parallel existence, a new meaning?
My current portfolio features a series of abstract paintings that express my vision of the “blurry” zone that separates the two realities – the Known and the Unknown. In my creative process, I play with lines and expressive strokes of vibrant colors which overlap and merge into each other until they form the impression of such a zone. In this sense, the “in-betweenness,” transition, and multi-dimensionality are the key concepts of my work.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

In my opinion, many non-creatives struggle to grasp the artist’s inner drive to create—an impulse that persists with or without recognition or material reward. For artists, making isn’t optional; it’s embedded in their being. It’s how we process the world, explore emotion, and give form to ideas. The true reward lies in creation itself – in shaping something deeply personal, or beautifully strange, from the intangible.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is knowing that my ideas can inspire others to expand their way of seeing reality. I’ve had people tell me that my colors spark joy or evoke a sense of calm—and that means the world to me. In a culture that often feels too noisy, too harsh, my paintings become personal escapes, and it’s deeply fulfilling when others resonate with that same feeling.
Art also gives me a kind of spiritual closeness to something greater. The ability to create something out of nothing—to turn a current thought into a piece of art, feels sacred. It is as if creation itself connects me to the divine, to the mystery behind all existence. And as an artist, I am never bored. My thoughts constantly dancing with ideas, shifting between dimensions of emotion, color, and possibility.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sandravucicevic.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artbysandrav
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artbysandrav/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandravucicevic/
• Twitter: https://x.com/SandraVucicevic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sandravucicevicart
• Other: https://www.artbysandrav.com/

Image Credits

Artwork:
1. Sandra Vucicevic, MAGNIFICENT VIEW, Acrylic on canvas, 36″ x 48″
2. Sandra Vucicevic, CLASH, Acrylic, pumice and resin on wood, 7.5″ x 7.5″
3. Sandra Vucicevic, IN THE PARALLEL UNIVERSE, Acrylic on canvas, 78″ x 78″
4. Sandra Vucicevic, MOONLIGHT SONATA, Acrylic on canvas, 24″ x 36″
5. Sandra Vucicevic, DOORS, Acrylic on canvas, 36″ x 36″
6. ARTBYSANDRAV, SATURN, hand-painted pendant necklace