Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Elina Zhelyazkova. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Elina, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I was working as a store manager in a large fashion retail company when I discovered watercolor painting. I was so fascinated both by the mesmerizing process and tons of learning opportunities online. I eagerly sought more and more sources of knowledge and information, new ways to improve my skills. Then I discovered Skillshare which is a subscription based learning platform and I connected with so many teachers. I started taking their classes and uploading my projects and this is where I knew I wanted to learn and then I wanted to teach other people how to paint. Currently I’m one of the top 2% teachers on the platform, I have quit my job as a store manager and I’m living my passion – painting and teaching others.

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

When I was little, I loved drawing. I used to draw in all my free time. I didn’t know the rules or techniques, I just enjoyed it. Then, as it often happens, in my teenage years I got distracted and I completely stopped drawing. It was years later, in my mid thirties when I unconsciously started searching for outlets for my creativity. I started with coloring books for adults, then acrylic painting and hand lettering until I finally decided to try watercolor. Something clicked immediately and I’ve been in love ever since. The pandemic is when my skills improved dramatically. I guess I was one of the very few people who enjoyed the lockdown because I had all the time in the world to paint. Today I love to create soft and dreamy watercolor paintings with glowing colors and sometimes even a sense of magic. I love to teach intermediate classes online because I feel there’s more than enough beginner friendly classes and I love to help my students get past the frustrations of the learning curves that are a part of the process. If I had to pick one thing that I’m most proud of, I guess that would be that I am currently a top teacher on the platform where I used to learn how to hold the brush and which paper to buy. This gives me an immense feeling of completion and inspires me whenever I feel a certain goal is too high for me to reach.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the things I had to drop while being on my creative journey is the perfectionism – the desire for each painting to be a masterpiece. At first I didn’t understand why perfectionism is not serving artists well, I thought everyone should strive for perfection. But as I was progressing I started to understand why ‘good is better than perfect’ and how the desire for perfection can leave you burnt out or afraid to start a new project. A book that helped me and that I can’t recommend enough for artists is ‘Big Magic’ by Elizabeth Gilbert.

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

For me there are two most rewarding aspects of being an artist. The first one is that I have my process, which, for me, is like a ritual. The preparation, the tools, the atmosphere, I spend a lot of time preparing my space so that I can then immerse myself entirely in the painting process, it’s like a meditation. And the second aspect is that now I get to appreciate the beauty around me in a different, more deeper way. My husband often says whenever I’m staring at a sunset or a mountain that I must be thinking about how to paint it. But it’s more than that. It’s seeing the details, the colors, the blends, studying the shape of the clouds or the pattern of a bird, which then leaves me in a state of gratitude and awe with life and nature.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inkpapersquirrel/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Inkpapersquirrel
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@inkpapersquirrel
• Other: https://skl.sh/ElinaZhelyazkova