The Others
Meet the Others: Yulia Pustoshkina
The Game Changers. The Rule Breakers. The Innovators. Discover some of the fantastic emerging talent showcasing their work at The Other Art Fair.
Yulia Pustoshkina grew up in a very creative and ever-busy family. Her Russian background influenced her artistic style through her experience working with miniature paintings common in the traditional Russian folklore. Each painting is rich with detail, and each detail, however small, is soaked in meaning for viewers to explore and ponder. It is a real joy to see the humour with which Yulia conjures up her anthropomorphised characters, characters that are usually on the move in some form, a core theme which Yulia says reflects her love for travel.
Q&A with the Artist
Tell us about who you are and what you do. What is your background?
I am a Russian born Australian artist. I grew up in a very creative family and learnt different skills. My highest inspiration, an art teacher and critic for life is my father, an artist himself. I have graduated from my home town’s Art School where I studied painting and drawing, composition and History of Art under the guidance of my dad.
Where do you draw inspiration from and what does your work aim to say?
My richest inspiration comes naturally from my Russian background. The significant part of my painting experience was working with miniature paintings. Those themes are influenced by the traditional Russian art schools like Palekh and Loubok. The extensive practice of detailed painting has highly influenced my current artistic style and technique.
Can you walk us through your process for creating a work?
I believe that the idea for a painting is the most important. I catch ideas that come from everywhere, I look around and notice things. Then imagination comes to play! I make sketches and only when I am completely happy on the sketch I start on the painting itself. And then it’s just a creative flow, I try not to think much when I am painting. Due to my busy style and technique I spend up to 10 hours a day of non-stop painting and that does not bother me a bit as I’m loving being in my most comfortable element!
Who are your biggest influences and why?
I should say that my dad is my strongest influence as it comes from my early childhood. I have always wanted to be like him – an artist. We share the same sense of humour. And, like it or not, my paintings are full of that. The most pleasant rewards are when the viewers of my work notice tiny but meaningful details, a humorous touch, my animal characters with human demeanours. I like to paint animals, birds, fish. There is always a purpose in everything they do. Currently I am aiming to create a fusion of characters from my Russian background with Australian animals, birds and plants.
What can people expect from you next? Do you have any exciting projects/opportunities coming up?
I can truly say that at the moment I live my dream. I create what I love. It brings me a great satisfaction and I see a huge appreciation of my work from the public.
Shop artwork by Yulia and other trailblazing artists at The Other Art Fair’s Online Studios.
Introducing The Other Art Fair Online Studios, a new online platform offering art lovers around the world access to over 800 Fair artists. The Online Studios will keep our community feeling inspired, engaged, and continue to spread joy through art.
