First of all,

Sorry I have been quiet here last week! It was the last week at the academy and it’s the craziest one, because we have only 5 day to make the moulds of our sculptures. Mould making is very complicated, messy and time consuming process that takes a lot of physical work, so I feel out of life for a week. But now it’s officially summer holidays and I am excited that would have more time on my personal projects as well be more active on here.

A year at the academy flew by and only now that it’s over I get to sit down and make conclusions about it. Look back at everything I gained, everything I accomplished, new friends I met. Now it’s also the time to remember how I got here. Often people tell me that I inspire them, because I follow my dream, but to be honest, I have no idea where I am going or if I ever succeed. If I had a safer option, maybe I would stick to it, but I simply have no other choice but to follow my dream and it is often terrifying. I have no home to come back to, I have no parents to back me up (my mom passed away4 years ago, and my dad is not in a position to help, and often needs financial help himself). I am in free fall, desperately waving my wings hoping to fly. A few weeks before the war began, I almost invested all of my savings left after my mother’s death for the down payment for the small apartment in Odesa. Last minute the owner of the apartment changed her mind, she just decided not to sell it. I was so heartbroken, but now I feel blessed that the deal didn’t go through… I left Ukraine right before the war began and didn’t go back for half a year. I needed a new plan for my new life. And all of a sudden life started giving me little hints. The same month I moved to Berlin, Alexandra Slava, a sculptor I respect and admire opens her atelier, and offers me a generous discount on her course. My sweet and kind German host family gave me the remaining amount as a present for my birthday. I took the course and created a sculpture that I was able to sell in 7 copies. I am dreaming of the Florence Academy of Arts, the best figurative arts school in Europe, but it’s way out of my budget. Just around that time I read a post from my friend Jeremy Mann, a wonderful painter, I was privileged to pose for, about Barcelona Academy of Arts and how he thinks it’s the best school in Europe. I check their website and the program is exactly like in Florence, but the price is twice lower. I could afford it! For at least half a year! When I told Jeremy about my decision to go study there, he actually told me that he and his wife are planning to move to Barcelona too! What a coincidence, and just another wink of the universe that I am going to the right direction. But it’s a long journey and there are days when I feel lonely, rootless and discouraged. What am I doing? Where am I going? Do I have something to say with my art? Does anyone care to listen? Do people even need figurative sculptors these days? Or is it a dead genre where everything relevant has been said?

And yet despite all the doubts I continue this journey, simply because I have nothing else to do and also because deep inside I have faith that somehow universe is guiding me to a place I belong.  My teachers acknowledged my progress and allowed me to skip another term of half life size projects and move onto a big project next fall: A life-size female torso! I am really excited about it! 

And for now let's just see what I've done in this academic year: 5 cast copies including a skull and an ecorche, 4 half-life size full body sculptures, two male and two female figures, 2 portraits. One piece that was exhibited in a gallery. Not too bad! 

The fact that this Patreon is slowly picking up and there are 30 of you guys, also gives me hope that maybe I can afford another year at the academy. Thank you so much for your support! And stay tuned: I'll be much more active here during the summer!