We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Faina Teplitskaya a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Faina, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

Learning the craft is similar to learning a life itself: a continuous experiment involving starting from scratch, making mistakes, and starting over. At times, you may see a clear direction, while at others, you are lost in uncertainty, eventually, piecing things together-though sometimes not. I consider myself fortunate to have the most incredible profession in the world-that of a perpetual student-of life and of art – both in the literal sense ( as a mature art student) and in a more philosophical way. My days are spent creating, reading, absorbing, attending classes, experimenting, listening and so on. I find myself in a phase where the saying” the more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know” holds true.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a Ukrainian – American artist who was born to create. Creative mode was my natural state of being in childhood and beyond. Knitting, sewing, always looking around for any objects, unique or everyday’s favorite, to incorporate it into wall sculpture, furniture or simply wow “masterpiece”. However, I often felt that my artistic nature was trapped in a very regular human body with a regular job within a regular working hours. It was only much later in life that freedom came. I broke free from these limitations through a formal and informal art education, life experience, and an unbounded imagination.
I suddenly became unstoppable and unapologetically impatient: studied metal art in Dallas College. My jewelry artwork was presented in national magazines and sold throughout Dallas art galleries.
Participating in Austin Fashion Week as a jewelry designer was one of the most memorable events of my life.
Then I received a certificate in graphic art at Southern Methodist University. Completed a list of digital art and brand identity projects for several companies.
Currently I am an art student at Brookhaven School of the Arts.
I speak many visual languages including painting, ceramics, sculpture, mixed media and continue to explore new dimensions of creative process, playing with objects, different forms, shapes, colors and ­­­­­­imaginations. My inspiration comes from the artists like Salvador Dali, Mark Rothko, Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani, and many others.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Art makes me happy, even more importantly, it is the happiness within my control. Let me explain what I mean. There aren’t many things in life that you can truly guide, no matter how hard you try. However, if you possess the ability to create something meaningful from scratch, you grant yourself the gift of fulfillment and a sense of purpose. It does not matter-whether it takes six months or just one week-once you witness the blank canvas transforming into a Thing, or your long-conceived idea materializing into an unexpected sculpture ( completely unrelated to your initial plan), you find yourself on the peak of mountains. And if you seek even more artistic happiness, statistically speaking, you hold the authority to do so; just be prepared to sacrifice sleep. Nonetheless, I wouldn’t recommend making this a regular practice. Moreover, another facet of creativity is that you become your own boss. Naturally, this comes with its own set of challenges, and headaches. But, how empowering and liberating it is to be independent, creating your own rules that you can break at any time ( some limitations, of course, apply).
My personal journey has proven that art is an ideal realm for shy, introverted, and socially awkward ( whatever that may mean) individuals. Through art, you establish your own environment and circle, whether imaginary or real. This, in itself, is a reward that’s beyond measure.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Absolutely, to be rich and famous. On a serious note, before achieving that, my primary goal is to immerse myself in the world of art and learn as much as I possibly can. I see my mission as creating art that deeply resonates with people’s emotions. I consider myself in the business of crafting beauty, but I am not confined to only creating visually appealing pieces. My ultimate aim is to push the boundaries of what art can be, forging unconventional and thought-provoking works that challenge conventional perceptions.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artistfaina/

Image Credits
Myself