JAMAICA MAMA Drawing

Memorable images, powerful interaction, symbolism – these are defining features of Victoria Zelenikina’s art. Victoria was born in Novorossiysk, Russia. She has two degrees in teaching English and International relations. Both have nothing to do with her current occupation. Victoria has always been keen on art. As a child she developed passion for creative activities. She was a professional ballet dancer. Later she was a member of best dance ensembles on the Black Sea coast. Having perfectly developed her choreography skills, Victoria started learning the vocals, she won several Russian and international song contests. She was also a professional model for a long time, she took part in fashion shows, photo shoots and beauty contests, having won several prizes. All these activities were her main occupation, and all Victoria’s free time was devoted to painting. She tried different drawing media, today her media of choice are colour pencils and acryl. This way attracted lots of criticism. The disapproval came from the professionals saying the light was wrong, the horizon was skewed, inaccurate human anatomy or composition… Victoria listened and filed the most useful things away in her mind, but her art was still declared by her soul. Art is an instrument for passing the emotional state through from one person to another. Music, dancing, theatre, ballet – these are all pure emotions. Victoria believes that the artwork technique is of less importance than the spirit this work conveys. If all the talented artists would have followed the rules, there would never be impressionism for example. This art movement exists due to people that denied the clichés of pictorial art and started creating in contrast to the genre rules. Victoria made some drawings under the unknown circumstances, therefore it is quite challenging to put them in line with ordinary pieces. There are some paintings made while sleepwalking. When the artist recollects herself on the floor covered with paints and curiously looks over an image on the canvas, does it really matter if this image has skewed horizon? Victoria creates her own reality escaping from the real world. She suffers from somnambulism (sleepwalking) which brings many of her story lines. She depicts different images and subjects while fully asleep and being looked after by her husband. These ideas soon thereafter become realized and transform into another work of art.