Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dorotka T.. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Dorotka, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
It was March 2017. I felt very down and heartbroken as I just experienced online bullying while going through major health issues. I wondered what was the point of pursuing my dreams of modeling if I have already endured so much stress and negativity. But then I received a message from my friend Micheal Malvitz asking if I would be interested in a project. It turned out that this would be one of the most important ones I would participate in; a project that would empower me for months and years to come. “ Nevertheless She Persisted: The Pink Parachute Project” created by a phenomenal photographer Teodora Pognant was initiated to explore & artistically capture the resilience & strength of women in society. She was able to achieve that by utilizing a former military parachute in a symbolic manner. I remember when I got the parachute on during the photoshoot and realized how heavy it was, 30 pounds heavy to be precise. For each frame, when the material was lifted for the dramatic effect, I had to ground myself very consciously, otherwise I would have been swept off my feet. The pure powerful symbolism of it was overwhelming. I was reminded & encouraged by this fashion & art creative moment, to not give up and just persist. So I did. I’ve always believed that fashion & photography are amazing tools to create meaningful stories, but this was the first time I felt it helped me to cope with the real life situation; therefore, this project has been and always will be my favorite one.
Thanks to this collaboration not only did I gain my confidence back, but I also acquired a beautiful friendship with Teodora while being able to work on multiple projects as well over the past 5 years. The most recent one took place during the spring break in the beautiful state of Florida. It was so exciting to create again. We photographed an outstanding design by my dear friend Eddie, whose design was inspired by one of our most favorite Disney characters Mary Poppins.
If you would like to learn more about pink parachute project and see many more amazing images taken not only in Denver, but in Austin and Miami as well please visit https://
Dorotka, 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?
When it comes to introducing myself I always struggle. “Hi my name is Dorotka and I am a model…”- boom, an immediate roll eye and a judgment because I’m not as tall as expected, because I’m not as young as expected, and because in real life I may come across shy, silly, and dorky which is rarely expected. Plus, the word ‘model’ sometimes may bring negative connotations of a stuck up and arrogant person- everything that I’m not. So I choose to say instead that modeling is what I do, being creative is who I am not only in the fashion world but in life general as well. But people do ask me: what does it mean to be a model? Is it only about being pretty? Is it just about newest trends in fashion? Is it really a superficial & shallow business?
Not in my opinion.
Fashion world can be so inspiring, fun, satisfying, educational, meaningful, transforming, and oh so empowering. Just watch what Balenciaga created for NYFW this past March in his efforts to show his support for Ukraine and spread the awareness about climate change. I truly feel infatuated with the creative side of the fashion world that uses its platform in order to empower people and shed the spotlight on great causes. Fundamentally that was my primary reason to consider joining the modeling world as I realized that I can utilize my creativity & knack to entertain. Since I was a little girl I had always been interested in arts and some form of entertainment. Despite being shy and introverted, I loved performing be it either reciting competitions or dancing groups, high school plays or singing theatre, and finally dancing competitions in my twenties. Once I was blessed to be a mother, that took center stage until 2016 where I felt I’m ready to start another life adventure.
I became focused on pursuing my modeling career in 2016 in Denver, and since then I had a privilege to model in New York, Santa Fe, Chicago, LA, and various places in Florida. I had the honor to work with some of the best creative fashion community members and be a part of ahhh-mazing fashion projects. To be involved in elaborated collaborations that showcase talents and skills of artistic creative people is indescribable. I always love every second of it.
Fashion has strong transforming abilities. Depending on the wardrobe or the theme of the creative project, it can make a person feel very sophisticated in a couture design, or sensual yet glamorous in a beautiful nightwear or jewelry, it can transform one into a Disney’s character, or even make you feel like a bride without the hustle of wedding planning. I so adore that aspect of fashion world; I always appreciate the opportunity of channeling a character, perhaps an alter ego, and embrace attitudes that I usually refrain from in real life.
With that said, I should make a quick disclaimer because I don’t want to give out a wrong impression that my modeling adventures have been stress free. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Being an empath and a very trusting person led me to situations where I said yes to projects instead of no, I was tricked by people to answer questions I didn’t want to, and I was dragged into issues that had nothing to do with me. All that resulted in a great deal of stress for me, and a feeling of being mistreated, disrespected, and taken advantage of at times. I learned a hard way that not many people have genuine intentions. Nevertheless I persisted, and became better equipped to deal with the struggles not only in the modeling world, but in life in general. And if there is any additional silver lining of my experiences is that if my daughter will decide to pursue modeling professionally she will have me to guide her in the best way possible.
Speaking of my daughter, I would like to use this opportunity to become super proud Mama Bear for a moment and praise my little grill for absolutely crushing her latest runway show showcasing beautiful flower girl dresses from Arden Bridal. The crowd went wild for her little blown kisses, twirls, & dancing on the runway, and my heart simply melted.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
The most significant pivot that I experienced in my creative life was during 2020. Let’s be honest, life as we knew it had ended due to the pandemic. Modeling was not my priority whatsoever because I entirely focused on the wellness of my daughter, her online studying, and adjustment to life’s new circumstances. After the initial shock of the “what the heck is going on in the world”, as a family unit we decided to take the pandemic as an opportunity to explore life in different ways and focus on perhaps simple pleasures instead of looking for “the next great thing”. Gardening, socially distanced outdoor exploring, and nature videos narrated by our favorite sir David Attenborough were some of the things we had fun with. However, I still had the need to express my creativity, so since my daughter continued her at home schooling, I decided to explore the subject of DIY. I would have never guessed that a year and a half later I will know so much about wall paneling, miter saw, and generally how to “McGayver” things (as I like to call it) but here I am, so happy and proud of almost 100 big and small projects that made our home-life better and unique.
Being creative truly means trying new things even in the realm of social media. Since instagram has been my only platform I use, I decided to have some fun getting to know reels and nurture my creativity this way as well. I became so keen on them that I came up with a specific series of reels and I titled it ‘Tea Time With Dorotka’. I have a blast getting into characters and voice my thoughts, opinions, humor through original audios all while I sip the tea. Love hearing from my followers that these segments resonate with them and make them feel better.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Well, that is a very good question and the answer is very simple: the goal of my creative journey is to make the world a little better. If I can be the reason that one person feels inspired to get creative be it either in the fashion scene, or DIY projects, or anything else that resonates with her or him, I believe that’s the greatest ‘mission accomplished’ feeling. Additionally and most importantly, I have my 11 year old daughter watching me carefully, so since I strive everyday to be her role model, I truly want her to always remember that creativity is what makes life exciting.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @dorotka777
- Facebook: Dorotka Modelka
Image Credits
Photo credits: PINK PARACHUTE PROJECT Concept, photography, styling: Teodora Pogonat @teodorapogonatfineart @pinkparachuteproject MUAH: Divinity Ray @hairbydivinity Special thanks to Michael Malvitz @malvitzphoto for referring me for this project MARY POPPINS VIBE Photography: Teodora Pogonat @teodorapogonatfineart Design, styling, accessories : Eddie Rickie @edwynn_designs OLD HOLLYWOOD GLAMOUR Photography: Hardy Klahold @hardysphotos Design: Maggie Burns Marie-Margot Couture @mariemargotcouture Jewelry: Andrea Li @andrealidesigns Make up: Quille Palan @quillepalan Hair: Darrel DeWitt @darreldewitt BRIDAL SHOW Photography: Maria Torres @mtd.photographs Design: Arden Bridal, All Brides To Be, @ab2bboutique @ardenbridal Make up: Contour Salon & Studio, @contoursalonandstudio Producer: Our Dream Wedding Expo @ourdreamweddingexpo_ SOPHISTICATED COUTURE Photography: Shelby Perez @shelfranciscreative Design, styling, accessories: Brooks Luby @brooksltd Make up: Gabby Fisher @risefromthelashes SUMMER IN THE CITY Photography: Casey Mitchell @caseybmitchell Skirt: Salwa Owens @salwaowens Bracelets: Deb Henriksen @equillibriumoffficial PERFECTLY IMPERFECT self made DIY enthusiast in front of the one of the 7 accent walls she created.