By J. Faith Malicdem // Dec. 29th, 2019
Hello, all! I come bearing grand news: The ever so talented Nadezhda is joining PieFace as an artist!! Nadezhda and I actually met three years ago at a summer enrichment program surrounding film and media, and I'm content knowing that we're able to come full circle in collaborating through this platform. I've always been fond of her ability to shoot back witty comments amidst a conversation in passing as well as her fashion sense, but I cannot wait to see what she brings to the Oven. And then there were twelve.
What drew you to the art you craft?
I’ve loved creating art since the moment I was able to hold a crayon. As I’ve grown as an artist, I’ve been exploring all mediums- illustration, photography, writing, film, etc- and figuring out which ones I want to pursue as a career. The answer is all of them at some point, but for right now, I’m focusing on illustration. It was the first art form I fell in love with, and no matter where I go in my art career, I will always come back to it in some way or another.
What do you typically find yourself creating? Do you have a specific style of artistry? A specific format?
A lot of my art tends towards the surreal. Often it includes religious imagery, not because I’m religious but because that type of imagery describes and evokes certain feelings of beauty and existentialism in a way other things cannot. My art has eyes in it a lot, mostly because they’re fun to draw, but also because I like the feeling that the piece is looking back at you. A person's interpretation of art is a reflection of themselves and their own experiences, and I think eyes are a good reminder of that.
Do you have any creators of any kind who you look up to? Have they heavily influenced your work? In what way?
Within the world of illustration and 2D animation, some of my favorite contemporary artists are Victoria Vincent (@vewn_), Sara Hagale (@_shagey), and Viktoria Maliar (@viktoriamaliar). A new favorite of mine is Danish illustrator Kay Nielsen, who I didn’t know about until recently when I saw an exhibit at the MFA of his work. These artists have all influenced my work both stylistically, for instance, the love of detail, color, and texture, and thematically, modern political and existential issues.
Do you see a future for yourself in art? If so, in what way(s)? If not, what are your general life aspirations?
I hope to eventually make illustration and other 2D arts a side job throughout my art career, which, at the moment, is tending towards film production. It’s something that will always be special to me and I plan to continue to illustrate and one day animate. Some little dreams of mine are to illustrate a book someday and create an animated short film.
Which tends to take reign in your creations: your brain or your heart?
I create with my heart. When my brain gets too involved, I overthink whatever I’m creating and lose my creative flow.
How are your creative works set apart from others?
I do work in many different mediums, and within them create a visually diverse array of pieces. Part of this is that I’m young and indecisive and still developing my personal style, but another part is that I have a deep love for all forms and styles of art and want to partake in all of them.
What do you hope to contribute to Pie Face?
I want to share the way I understand the world through my art, covering topics such as politics, culture, and, very generally, the mood of the life of young artists. If I have time this semester, I’d like to contribute not just illustration, but also other mediums and projects such as photoessays, poetry, collage pieces, etc.