The Canvas | vladimir vershvovski

Vladimir Vershvovski from Estonia is someone who uses art as a means of expressing himself. He never studied art and never learned how to draw. All his life he wanted to create something on paper. The only way where he felt he could express himself was in Photoshop and Illustrator. He says: 'What I’m doing now I’m calling a Transformation. I am not a professional just someone who enjoys being creative'

What is your earliest artistic memory?
When I was 11-12 years old I was participating in the Puppet Studio where we were learning how to make puppets for the Shows. One day, a beautiful young women walked in, looked at us, then stopped at my desk and told me: “You are the one I’m looking for”. She brought me to her theatre where older kids were performing. That was the first time in my life I saw the Theatre. Theatre was small but everything was real: the stage, the lighting, costumes, props, make up etc. and we were PERFORMING! And these feelings of Secret, feeling of Magic and Light, feeling of horror when you come up on Stage to play your small part in the Show – these things made a big impression on my entire life.


Has your art or approach/method changed over the years and if so, how?
Even though I can not draw, I still have a strong desire to create and I found myself in Transformation with my own vision of this form of Art. Everything is simple: In Photoshop or in Illustrator I’m creating something that carries graphic or colour composition and then starting to distort everything out of proportion. I’m creating a chaos on the screen, and then looking for something real inside, something that could be possibly described in the Real World. Then, using Photoshop tools, transforming into more realistic picture. Sometime I have really good luck in that and getting very pleasing results. (All my works presented with the interview were created using this method)

Where do you get your inspiration from?
I have noticed that I really had luck in creating my works when I was disappointed with something or wasn’t satisfied with myself. Sounds a little strange.


What is your biggest ambition as an artist?
As any Soldier’s dream to be a General, some artists want to become famous. The most important thing for me is that my works touches people.


If you could own any piece of artwork, what would it be and why?
I would like to have some portraits by the great Russian artist Anatoly Zverev. His technique – what makes me wonder and strikes me: from chaotic on the first look lines with different length, size and colour of strokes you can found faces, eyes… It’ just incredible!

If you could receive coaching/training from any artist (past or present) who would it be?
Anatoly Zverev.

If you could have you artwork displayed in any gallery in the world, where would it be?
All professional artists dream is to see their paintings in the art galleries, museums. As for me, I’d like to see my works as natural installations.  Imagine, you are on the Speed Train and you’ve noticed a huge Billboard ahead.  And it’s coming up on you with the speed of train, and you can see the picture already, then you pass it and Billboard dissolves behind the Train.  Something like that.


Who would you like to meet and what question would you want to ask them?
I would like to meet with mentioned above A. Zverev and I don’t want to ask him anything, I just want to stay in his Studio to see how he creates his works.


What is your most prized possession?
My family and my friends.


If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?
I want to go back to a day where I tell my Mom, that I will definitely be back in at the end of the day.  I never had a chance to say it to her.


What do you consider the greatest invention of all time?
The Wheel, Nuclear power, camera.
          

If you had the power to change something what would that be and why?
I’d like to quote one of the character from SF novel “Roadside Picnic”  (Strugatsky brothers): “Happiness for everybody for free, and let no one goes away unhappy.”

What is your favourite place?
Jerusalem, the sofa…

What is your all time favourite movie or tv program?
I don’t have any favorites TV shows or movies, but I do have favorite actors and movies with them.  For example, film “Kin-dza-dza!”  by Georgiy Daneliya.


Can you tell us the title/author of the last book you have read?
I just finished to read Daneliya’s autobiography “Chito-Grito”.  Great book with a good humor.


What would you scribble on a wall of world’s greatest quotes?
Be kinder.

What are you most afraid of?
I don’t know. Maybe a crazy person suddenly popping up from behind the corner, an inhuman scream or swirling blackness what you can see before falling asleep. Who knows what.

What life lesson do you always stand by?
Try not to live a lie.


If you had to give art students today some advice, what would it be?
Be surprised and wonder! Be surprised, when you see how wind turns leafs in a strange  dance.
Be surprised, when you see a child who looks at you very seriously and appreciatively.
Be surprised, when you see of a girl and how she looks at you.
Be surprised, by lively old lady who muttering behind you: “ look who is walking here”
Be surprised!


Where on the web can we find you?
www.shutterstock.com/g/voldemar
www.bodyofart.com/voldemar

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