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Creative joy and scientific life

Indrė Gražulevičiūtė-Vileniškė

Interview with Indrė Gražulevičiūtė-Vileniškė (Indre Wooden Fox)

1.      Describe what a normal day looks like as an artist.

As far as I am both and artist and university teacher and researcher, my day activities can be very diverse. Currently I paint in my studio Wooden Fox only on weekends, during week days I work in the university and also create some digital generated art as it requires only computer. I also love sketching. I have loads of filled sketchbooks, thus I try to devote some time for relaxing sketching as well, which is good both for psychological well-being and for generating creative ideas. My perfect day as an artist would look like this: working in my painting studio in the morning (as I am morning person), later lunch or coffee, and then in the afternoon working on digital art, writing e-mails and other management stuff plus of course all the family duties, which are inseparable part of life. However, I am not ready yet to give up my academic career, both for financial reasons and because scientific work also enriches my life.  


 

2.      Can you tell us more about the theme in your art and your inspiration?

My works can be characterized by their depictive and narrative character. Somehow I care more for the symbols I want to show and stories I want to tel that nuances and compositions of colors or elaborated technique. Most often, almost all the time I draw and paint from my imagination and memory not from real life. My greatest sources of inspiration are first of all nature (especially animals, birds and trees) and some metaphysical ideas, symbols and mythology, especially mythology of various cultures, where animals are involved.  

 


3.      How does your art life impact other parts of your life?

In general art life make my more fulfilled and happier person. I have been drawing and painting since childhood, although after graduating I have devoted all my time to research and teaching until 2017, when after car accident I have started to draw and paint intensively again. Thus I can compare life without art and life with art and the second one is definitely better. Art has enormous self-realization and therapeutic potential and I can recommend it to everyone in one form or another.   

 

4.      Tell us about your best experience in the art world so far.

I am that kind of person, who pays a lot of attention to the quality of everyday life and tries to romanticize mundane activities. I would say an ordinary day in my painting studio is the best experience not only occasional exhibitions or awards.

 


5.      What practical advice can you give to fellow artists?

Focus first of all on creative joy and inspiration not on the intrigues and competition of the artist life.

 

6.      Is the artist life lonely? Please share your thoughts and experiences.

Yes, I would say that the life of an artist is individualistic and lonely, there are lots of competition, invisible walls and ceilings. This is the shadow side of creative joy and inspiration. For me being also a part of scientists community really helps dealing with this.



7.      What are you working on at the moment and are there any upcoming events you would like to talk about?

Currently I am starting an new series of oil paintings focused on cats and also a digital art project  - the oracle of mythical and magical foxes.

 


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