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

Tetyana, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us 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.

All my life I was working in a field unrelated to art, until 2020, when I accidentally discovered floral paintings created with soft pastels. It was love at first sight, and I had to try it. I bought supplies and signed up for online pastel classes. Then COVID hit and a lot of people had to stay home for weeks. I spent that time studying everything I could about art: composition, academic drawing, pastel, watercolor, oil painting, and more. It was a constant interplay of learning and experimenting, and I loved every moment of it.
I believe that I was learning at a decent pace, but if I had a mentor, it could have sped up my learning process. Having people in your life who encourage you and help you on the way gives you strength to move forward.
In regard to skills, I believe that the most important skill for every artist is the ability to draw. Academic drawing was a fundamental class that opened many doors for me; if your drawing and values are right, you will be able to create a decent painting.
Sometimes there were obstacles in the way of learning more, such as lack of time. I wish I had forty-eight hours in a day, because the time I spend at the easel is just the tip of the iceberg of my career as an artist. Teaching, working with galleries, managing social media accounts, attending shows, and framing art are just a few tasks that I as an artist do besides painting.

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

I am an award-winning contemporary pastel artist, a teacher, and the President of the Pastel Society of Southeast Texas. I get inspired by nature, it’s beauty, and endless variety of shapes and forms. I try to find unusual aspects of everyday life and show the viewer the world through my eyes. My biggest reward as an artist is to see that I was able to evoke a viewer’s feelings and emotions.
I was born in Ukraine and moved to the United States when I was 27 years old. I then worked in a biomedical field for years and eventually earned a degree of Master of Science in Nursing Education from the University of Phoenix. Although my education seems to be unrelated to art, the basic principles of teaching are the same and that knowledge helps me tremendously for teaching my art students. I participate in local and international art shows and my art can be found in private collections in the United States and abroad. I enjoy painting seascapes, landscapes, flowers, and portraits.

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

Art as a business is not easy, and it usually takes years for an artist to become profitable, if ever. When you start a career as an artist, you may or may not get to the point when you can support yourself and your family as a full-time artist. However, you do what you love, and there is nothing more satisfying than being able to express yourself in the way you love most. People tend to seek happiness, but they can be happy only when they do what they love, in my opinion.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

As an artist, I don’t aim to profit from my art. Yes, it is always exciting when my art speaks to a customer, when I sell a painting, or don’t have to look at price tags when I shop for supplies. It is also very fulfilling to win an award at an art exhibition, but it is not my ultimate goal. My goal is to really get better as an artist and to increase the quality of my paintings as much as I can. I never limit how much time I spend on a painting and try to paint only what truly interests me. I know my weaknesses and try to overcome them. I am not afraid when I don’t receive recognition as an artist or when my application is rejected, because it only makes me work harder and try again. When my next painting is better than the previous one, I know that I am getting better, and gives me courage to continue my artistic journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.taleksart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taleksart/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Tetyana-Aleksenko/100087360253712/

Image Credits

All images courtesy of Tetyana Aleksenko, the artist.