Interview with Adriana Galetska
Do you remember when and how you decided to become a painter?
I remember that it wasn’t me who decided. It was a strange calling that made me leave a successful and promising career in defense cooperation.
How have your educational and professional experiences in international information and business management influenced your approach to art, particularly in terms of discipline, networking, and the thematic choices in your work?
My previous experience shaped me as a person, broadened my horizons (business trips, meeting people of different cultures), and gave me the confidence to walk an uncharted path (after planning and organizing international cooperation events).
You’ve described life as a poem and the journey to the heart as life-long. How do these beliefs influence the themes and techniques you choose in your art?
I am trying to follow the philosophy: a new day is a blank page or, in my case, a blank canvas, and I decide what to paint and what color (mood) to use. And at the same time, I'm constantly learning to trust life and follow a path that seems to be crawling by itself.
Could you walk us through your creative process? How do you move from an initial idea to the final execution of a piece? Are there particular rituals or conditions you find conducive to your creativity?
There are certain rituals. I’ve noticed that my work becomes especially vivid and filled with emotion when I nurture an idea for a long time and finally approach the canvas when I can’t resist the urge to paint anymore.
And ideas arise in different ways. I like to depict my impressions after traveling. I also like to be here and now and savor every moment, as my angels do. But the best thing about creativity is unpredictability - when you start and then some miracle happens as if by itself.
You’ve achieved recognition with first prizes at various exhibitions, suggesting your work resonates strongly with audiences. What do you hope people feel or think when they encounter your art? Is there a particular message or emotion you aim to evoke?
Winning prizes at the exhibition gave me the courage to call myself an artist. I am deeply grateful to those who wrote to me, saying, "Your art inspires faith in life."
Considering your mention of psychoanalysis in relation to your personal epiphanies at thirty, how do you think art serves as a tool for understanding or healing the self? Do you see your work as an exploration of psychological themes?
Art is a very concise illustration of the perception of reality, storytelling.
For me, this is first and foremost about nourishment from color, as each color holds energy. Now, as it gets colder, it’s time to immerse myself in red. One of my artworks is called "Shy/Naked soul", because it is easier to expose the body than the soul. And art is about courage to be yourself.
Art is both healing and a journey of self-discovery, and it’s also about continually, endless skill improvement. This is what the human soul longs for—constant growth. And now, at my 46, I feel that my appreciation for life grows with years, and therefore the feelings of happiness or joy of being.
Given your Ukrainian background and experiences abroad, in what ways do these cultural experiences surface in your art? How do you balance universal themes with specific cultural narratives in your work?
I'm just being myself and portraying what I feel. After February 24, 2022, when I woke by the whistling of Russian missiles, I was in shock for a long time and couldn’t create. Then, gradually, as confidence grew that Ukraine will withstand, I began to learn to live in the moment and to feel gratitude for each new day. And I felt the desire to capture the beauty of these days once again.
Transitioning careers is fraught with challenges and uncertainties. What have been some of the most challenging aspects of becoming a painter, and what has been the most rewarding?
It was challenging to follow the call of the heart, not knowing exactly where it was leading me. The three first-place prizes at the exhibition in the Kyiv House of Artists were a great and unexpected reward. I am grateful to my teacher from the art studio, who advised me to submit my paintings for the exhibition. Then I took part in exhibitions in Venice, Miami, the Florence Biennale, The New York Art Expo... One of the artworks is kept in the "Checkpoint Charlie" Museum in Berlin. I also won first prizes at exhibitions in the Artist's House in St.Petersburg and Moscow (2013, before Russia occupied Crimea).
How has your style evolved since you first started painting? Are there artists or movements that have had a significant impact on your work over the years?
When I was less confident, I spent a long time working on pieces in oil. Now, I mostly use acrylics, which dry quickly and cannot be corrected. They are about true emotions in the here and now. As for the influence of other artists on my work, it’s true that we are affected by everything we encounter in life, but to be honest, before I felt this strange calling to paint, I didn’t admire any particular artists — I loved drawing , painting as a child (probably like every child) and had forgotten about it in the whirlwind of life. For the first time in my adult life, I felt this strange calling when I was recovering from a serious car accident, looking at paintings by local artist in my parents’ home. I see this as post-traumatic growth. I don’t know if I would have dared to make such drastic life changes if I hadn’t experienced that life can end at any moment. Later, during my maternity leave, when I had the time (here I'm thankful to my husband), I once again listened to the quiet yet persistent call and went to an art studio (after interior design course (I didn't even allow myself to dream of becoming a painter)). I remember that I wanted to paint an angel for my son's room. (Just right now (during the interview), I realized that the way was shown by angel). I am so glad I met a teacher there who believed in my talent even more than I did. This was the Ukrainian painter Volodymyr Kikinov.
As you look to the future, what are your aspirations for your art? How do you hope to develop your work, and what legacy do you aim to leave through your artistic endeavors?
I want to testify my gratitude to life. I want to notice its beauty and capture it on canvas (on video and photo as well). I want to write poetry again (I lost that ability after the full-scale invasion). I want us to remember that we create at every moment with our thoughts, feelings, words (and, of course, actions). And I want us to do it consciously.
Adriana Galetska
