Visiting artist Natalie Rakhlina

The artist Galleriks, Sergey Fateev, visited the artist Natalie Rakhlina, and asked several questions.

- Natalie, a few words about yourself.

Since childhood, I was attracted by all kinds of beautiful reproductions of paintings, impressive photographs of nature, nature itself, aesthetics have always been in the first place for me. I copied a lot of Camille Corot, the Impressionists, and also, later, when I studied at the Moscow College of Art Crafts, I copied the masters of the Dutch school, such as Jan Van Goyen, Reysdal. From school years I dreamed of acting in films and began to act in films, first in mass scenes, then in episodic ones. Now I’m going to star in a documentary about the artists of Alexander Guryanov, a recognized master of documentary intellectual cinema. In 1994-96, he worked as an artist at the Odessa film studio with Misha Beschastnov, now he is in America.

“Natalie, when did you feel that you couldn’t help painting?” What happened to you?

When I felt that I could not help writing…. this happened after the birth of my daughter Sofia in 2001. After the birth of my daughter, I turned back to painting, and it was like fresh air in my lungs, before that I was engaged in psychology, consulted, conducted various seminars and such activities a little dry my soul.

My heart and soul seemed to open and wake up, and the passion for painting never left me again. And I made a promise to myself that if I’m traveling somewhere, traveling, then I will take a sketchbook, canvases with me to capture the beauty of those places that leave a mark on my soul. I write from an excess of soul, and pictures are a continuation of me, my inner life, my revelations. Each artist, creating a work, one way or another reveals his emotional experiences. I write from a state of goodness when I am in harmony, and the process of writing a picture is a meditative process during which inspirations occur or do not happen. My paintings carry a positive charge, you can feel it. Since 2002 I have been practicing ashtanga-vinyasa yoga. And yoga gives me inspiration for painting. Painting and yoga are two components of my creative life. And of course, doing yoga, I was interested in the culture of India and a few years later I visited India, first as a tourist, and on my next trip I was part of a group of artists to work in India. And in India, I made a promise to myself that I would always take a sketchbook on a trip. And when you write from nature, the work turns out to be alive, and more fulfilled and valuable.

- You travel often, could you highlight the place where you would like to spend more time and how is this related to your work?

I would like to spend more time in India and Spain - these are two countries where I am drawn. India, as a mirror of your inner world, that you desire and radiate, is given to you and the desires that are true are fulfilled. There, as if it were not you writing, but they were writing through you, and the artist was like a guide. I adore Art Nouveau, and A. Gaudi is the king of Art Nouveau for me. Visiting Barcelona, I never cease to admire the beauty, grace and thoughtfulness of the architectural masterpieces of A. Gaudi. His creations are truly “Music in a stone”. I write based on Gaudi’s architectural music.

- You exhibited a lot. I know that your works are in private collections both in Russia and abroad. How do you part with your paintings?

How I part with pictures…. but I do not part with them, they always live in me. Pictures are children of the artist, and even if the pictures have gone to other houses, the author always remembers them. I am pleased that my paintings delight people, give a good mood and interesting thinking, lead away from everyday perceptions, make the world view brighter. And I’m happy that I can share this with the viewer. Earlier, about 10 years ago, to be honest, I was sorry to part with my work, but over time I felt that the more you sell, give, the more energy, inspiration, money, satisfaction, and happiness will return to you.

- A creative person is always on the lookout. How do you find your stories, what is the genesis of your work, how does the image that you then embody?

Each of my stories is a fruit of love. To write a work, I must fall in love with this plot, landscape, still life, motive, and let it through me. My work is a synthesis of consciousness and subconsciousness. An image is born somewhere between… awareness and flight of fantasy, soul, dream. The plot, the image can arise spontaneously, but can be thought through and assembled gradually, there is no single way and the process is very intimate, delicate.

“I know that artists always watch how colleagues work.” Which of the modern authors would you note. Like they say now on social networks, like?

Of contemporary artists, I am particularly impressed with the work of Larisa Belim, Lev Dyakonitsyn, Victor Pushkin, Igor Avramenko, Ruben Apresyan.

- And if you had the opportunity to travel by time machine, then who would you like to meet with artists?

Very original question. I was interested in talking with prominent personalities such famous masters as Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Paul Gauguin, Pissarro, Edgar Degas, Carlo Carra, Frida Kahlo. I admire these artists and outstanding personalities.

- Traditional. What are your creative plans?

The nearest creative plans are the opening of the big New Year’s exhibition at the Central House of Artists on 12/28/2014 at 16.00, halls 8, 10 - I invite everyone! Then there will be a series of charity exhibitions, until the question is decided on which venues and necessarily art travel - fuel for my craft.

I wish you all a bright inner Sun!

Photo courtesy of Natalie Rakhlina.

Sergey Fateev © Gallerix.ru