“My art is about moments of peace, love and fascination. And I hope that viewers can feel what I felt and it brings them joy. I’m part of the New England Watercolor Society and my works regularly appear in their exhibitions.” – Elina Shatalova.
Elina, your work is very multifaceted. You see beauty in literally everything that surrounds us. Please tell us what fascinated you about the world of painting? You mainly paint with watercolours, where it is difficult to correct mistakes. Why have you chosen watercolour?
What initially inspired me to paint was Japan and watermarks on the gates into shinto shrines. I’ve never worked with watercolour until then and had a vision how I’ll recreate the stonework with few drops of colour. Needless to say it wasn’t as easy, and 7 years later I’m yet to realize that particular vision. In pursuit of that painting the whole new world was opened to me – and I fell in love. With watercolour it feels more like a relationships than practice. The medium doesn’t allow for mistakes and is both precise and free flowing. This give and take: taming it and at the same time learning from it – is what made working with watercolour infinitely interesting for me.
What is the message of your work?
I’ve started painting as a means of capturing moments and places I loved. Painting takes hours and those hours were spent with the subjects I love, revisiting favourite place, evoking wonderful memories. And my clients felt it. My art is about moments of peace, love and fascination. And I hope that viewers can feel what I felt and it brings them joy. I’m part of the New England Watercolor Society and my works regularly appear in their exhibitions.
Japan and Japanese art occupy a special place in your work. And now you are working on a series of large paintings – about 180 cm in height, dedicated to Japan. Please tell us about them. Where will they be presented?
Japan is most certainly a central part of my artistic journey and an incredible source of inspiration. Whether on a busy street or inside a temple, I always feel very peaceful there. I want a viewer to feel like they’ve been to those places too, as if they’ve just stepped out of Japan and a large format certainly helps to achieve that. This project is still in progress and I plan to finish the series by the summer 2025.
You also work in interior spaces and the history of a given house is important to you. Through art, you convey your emotions and feelings inspired by family history. Which commission was especially memorable?
Art, in my opinion, is a result of internalization. Our thoughts and emotions, our relations towards the subject are as important to the end results, as technique and knowledge of the medium. That is why I always recommend and ask my clients to tell me a story, a memory or to share their positive emotions about the commission. The result then becomes infused with it. It’s difficult to pick up a favourite commission…
The portrait of grandfather and his truck he owned since his early twenties…
The house that a husband had built by hand…
Gorgeous sunset from the trip to Japan…
Commissions with the story behind them always get me excited.
Elina, you conduct master classes, revealing new facets of art. What do they give to you personally?
I love master classes for a chance to connect with other art lovers. Sometimes it’s an opportunity to inspire others to start their own art journey, sometimes it’s a great chance to spend a few hours in a good company.
How do you start creating (general sketch, eyes, colours, etc.)?
Creating process is very dependent on intentions. So the first step is always to think on the idea and to choose the right approach. I treat my sketchbooks as seriously as large works, but the environments ach demands can be vastly different. My favourite technique across formats is “line and wash”, in which ink outlines the subject. Somehow it connects me to my inner child and warm memories of colouring books, only now I’m doing it at an advanced level. For line and wash, I sketch in pencil, then outline in ink and once the ink is dry, I erase pencil lines completely and start adding colour. Quality materials are extremely important in watercolour. I use only professional brands that ensure that colours won’t fade due to the sun. My favourite trend in watercolour paints are the use of natural stones as pigments. There is something special when you paint with Amethyst, Jade or hematite.
How do you feel about plagiarism? How do you “defend” yourself against it?
Plagiarism is something that has to be taken as a necessary part of success. The main challenge the artistic community is experiencing is with AI. Without doubt unethical part of AI has to be addressed, but overall my outlook is positive. People who appreciate art will not be fooled by copycats or generated images. I think that oversaturation of AI that we are about to experience will fine tune your senses to human generated content.
Where can art overs purchase your paintings?
My available works are on my website www.elinart.studio
