AN INTERVIEW WITH  MARIANA KALACHEVA, ARTIST RANKART

 1/ Medeya: Can you introduce yourself in a few words to our readers?

I am lucky person who believes in good stories, always smiling, with pleasant expectations from live, sharing positive energy to my friends and those who surround me.

2/ Medeya: Do you practice painting as a hobby or as a professional?
I am involved professionally with art and it seems that is my hobby as well!
3/ Medeya: Can you tell us more about the professional and/or artistic path that has made you and artist?

Well, in my age of 18 , I was involved in the big project of launching an Art Gallery by my ex-boyfriend and his mother. Along the process of managing the gallery, meeting famous and interesting artists and my constant, increasing hunger to learn more, sent me to the Academy of arts…

4/ Why did you choose painting as your way of expression yourself rather than another one? What triggered it?

I graduated engravings, I am good in making details but my passion passed on painting and playing with the colours. I prefer to step over the uniqueness of creating one idea than her repeating several times until her readiness for printing in edition.

5/ Medeya: Do your life and its different stages have an influence on your art? In what way?                   O, yes! As I mentioned above I was a part of the team of making an art gallery in my city. My art and social life continued further with travelling around in Europe, making contacts with different people and cultures.. This reflected on my future being as an artist.

6/ How would you define your work? What do you say about your work to someone who has never seen your paintings?
My work is positive reflection of all the events that happen in my life. I advice if he/she wants to see the surroundings through rose-colored glasses or just wants to feel carefree and a little bit more happy, then let’s have a look what am I doing.
7/ Medeya: What prompted your choice of subject, technique and style?

I like to paint in two styles – art naïf and art-figural. The unifying threat is the need of colour,  the sophistication and as well the simplicity of the shapes. I love the techniques and styles where I can run my drawing abilities.

8/ Medeya: In general, what has an influence on your art? (other painters, the cinema, music, literature…)

In my first steps in the painting I was influenced by Klimt, Mucha, Rembrandt, Modigliani, Gaudi, Vrubel, Esher, Schiele. I get inspirations by chillout and ambience music, buddha bar and pop, classic, opera, theatre, unordinary movies and stories, irregular literature.

9/ What is the starting point of a painting, the early stages of your work? (a sketch, an image, chance, pure imagination, a little of this, a little of that?)

I started drawing all of my surroundings – my house, the nature, my parents, relatives.. After I started drawing sketches and pictures  from the magazines and the beautiful coloured fairy tale’s books.  Later on in my school time, I started drawing myself, mostly my hands in hundreds different positions, my eyes, and body in general..
10/ Medeya: What painter from the past would you like to meet, and why?

I would like to meet Gustav Klimt and spent a day or two with him in his working process. It is so exciting!
11/ Medeya: And contemporary painter?  

Fernando Botero, Christo`
12/ Medeya: Could you tell us about a painting you would like to see it your own ayes? Why this one in particular?

Yes, I already did it with one of my favourite ones – “The kiss” by Klimt. I am impressed by the colours and combination of forms and depiction of this masterpiece! I would like to see the Portrait of Adele Bloch Bauer by Klimt as well, Odalisque by Ingres and the self -portrait of Rembrandt.
13/ Medeya: According to you, when does a painter, a photographer, a musician… becomes an artist?

The artist becomes an artist when appear the need of creating something new and inspiring without any expectations and proofs how it will be accept by others…

When you go with the flow surrounded by the feeling that you do something big and ntuitive, with passion and there are no obstacles that can stop your initial will…
14/ Medeya: Can you tell us about the exhibition of another artist that has left a special mark on you?

Yes, there are not one or two artists who did. In my age of 18, I was influenced by everything related to Dali, the surrealists and their life at that time. After I started being impressed by several Russian artists like Serov, Repin, Vrubel, years later they were followed by Klimt, Alphonse Mucha and Rembrandt. I think that ever seeking spitit of the artist should change frequently the needs and demands passing throughout his artistic life…

15/ Medeya: What is your most emotional memory of a personal exhibition, and why?

One of such moments I had was during the opening of my personal exhibitions in Bulgaria in late 2009-th. While introducing the concept of the exhibition infront of the usual public and organisers of the event, in the salon came two Commanders and a General of the national army  and the General awarded me with congratulatory certificate for appreciations for contribution in art and the creativity. I was amazed…

16/ Medeya: Artistically speaking, is there a dream you haven’t fulfilled yet?

Yes, it is!!! I have a dream to exhibit my art in some of the top galleries in Paris, New York, Dubai, Miami, London, Berlin, Tokio and Moskow.
17/ Medeya: Tell us more about your current artistic occupations? What are your artistic projects?

I am preparing to send 11 paintings to the art competition in Taiwan. It seems I am in the second selection, made between 4300 artists and after between 70 artists.. It is exciting!

I prepare for the exhibition in September, and make several orders for clients.

18/ Medeya: To give our readers a general idea of our artists, I like to ask our guests the « desert island » questions. If you were stranded on a desert island, what would you take with you?
* What book?
* What film?
* What music?
* What object?
* Which one of your paintings? “The tree of wishes” /which always follows me/

BOOK ;   I would take a big world encyclopedia

FILM:      The movie that can not ever never boring me is The Intouchables /2011/

MUSIC :  Buddha bar by David Visan

OBJECT:  Knife

PAINTING: Brasserie
19/ Medeya: What trip would you like to make that you haven’t yet?

I am curious to visit Asia and South of America in searching of artefacts of ancient civilisations.

20/ Medeya: When you were a child, what did you dream of becoming as an adult?

I dreamed about to be a famous graceful ballerina and at the same time a noble writer, except my passion at that time with the drawings…