I am an Artist: Nataliya Tyaglo

As we posted earlier this month, Lisa and I had the pleasure of meeting a few people during First Thursday in San Francisco. Read our interview with art promoter Owen Geronimo HERE. We also had the pleasure of meeting artist Nataliya Tyaglo who was this month's live painter for the Otis Lounge. Lisa and I asked her a few questions about the act of live painting and what it has done for her as an artist.



1. How does it feel to paint live? Pros and Cons?
I enjoy painting live; it’s a thrill for me. The pressure of finishing a
painting in a few hours challenges me to just dive into the painting
without hesitation and judgment. It’s an opportunity to just do it, and
make the best of the present moment. When I paint live, I feel less attached
to the product--my painting, and more absorbed in the experience of creating.
Painting live at various venues is especially stimulating because music adds a
rush of extra energy, my brushstrokes catch a rhythm, get bigger and
wilder. Painting live for me is like dancing with brushes, where the
dance floor is my canvas.

Painting live is also very public and social--which is different form a traditional
painting setting. Unlike in a studio, where I escape into my own world and show
my work only after completion, painting live presents the opportunity to
interact with public during the creative process. I get to hear how people
react to my work, what it makes them feel, and what they see in it. Sometimes if a different perspective inspires me, I listen to what people say and actually make a few changes in that particular piece. I get to know my audience more during live painting performances, and they get to know me. Live painting can be fun and interactive. I feel that live painting breaks the isolated experience of a traditional studio setting and makes fine art more accessible and exciting
for everyone.



2. How did you get involved with this First Thursday scene?
Owen Geronimo invited me.




3. Has it affected your career? How?

Live painting pushed me to be more free, bold, quick and experimental. I feel less
constrained about producing a perfect image and more free to ride the creative energy wave. I started experimenting more with acrylics. Before live painting most of my work has been done in oils because oils are much more receptacle to color movement and blending. However, oils require good ventilation and days of drying time after the work is completed. This makes it messy and uncomfortable in a public setting. The challenge of working quickly with a faster drying medium, such as acrylics pushes me to be more daring. Live painting is also turning me into a full time artist. Since most live painting events happen at night, I can paint in the studio during the day and then get a new burst of energy and dive into another painting at
night.

4. What does art mean to you?

Art is about freedom and appreciation. Art allows me to break the rules, create something new, and detach from a certain order. It’s also about being able to discover, appreciate and share a beautiful experience. I feel that there is something beautiful in every place--it’s just a matter of taking the time and having the energy to notice it. Whether it’s a landscape of a Calistoga
winery filled with luscious greens and yellows, or a traffic jam on a rainy day drizzled with long reflections of streetlights, there is beauty everywhere. I think so many of us are caught up in our daily obstacles and problems that we take the beauty in front of us for granted. As an artist, I feel that my role is help people notice beauty wherever they are. Art is not as much about
self-expression as it is about sharing: sharing a point of view, an experience, and making it memorable.


Nataliya's Portfolio: http://nataliyatyaglo.blogspot.com/