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Artist: Daria Hlazatova
Location: Chernivtsi, Ukraine
Website: dariasgallery.blogspot.co.uk
Who are you, where are you from?
I am Daria. I live in the multicultural city of Chernivtsi, Ukraine, very close to Romanian border and Carpathian mountains.
What do you do?
I draw mostly, besides having a couple of other jobs. I actually draw when I am doing my other jobs.
Why do you do it?
I think drawing is a perfect way of existence, a very self-expressive, problem-solving, soothing occupation and besides it brings joy to others, too.
How does the place you live impact upon your work?
Greatly. Indeed, I owe my hard-working attitude to my city. Because the cultural life is nearly absent here, I have nothing better to do in the evenings than to sit and draw! If only I lived in London or New York, I imagine I wouldn’t have any time to make art because I’d spend all my days in galleries, theatres and at the concerts. I’d also be penniless. Besides this, I certainly owe a lot to my cultural Slavic background. Everything from the trees I see from my window to my noisy neighbours have had a great (both positive or negative sometimes) impact on what I’m doing now. It’s a long story.
How do you create these images?
I usually use pens and sometimes pencils to highlight the colour of the eyes, for example. I use very simple materials and my creative process is also not complicated. What I do is I come home after work, draw and then maybe go to bed 
Who are your influences?
I usually avoid looking at similar work to mine or indeed at any work online. Still, I am influenced by people, who do their job perfectly. A recent visit to Tate Britain was a big influence on me. John Singer Sargent in particular. When I see masterpieces by such artists, they speak to me something like : “Daria, go home and do some drawing!” At home, by the way, there are piles of children’s books that have been in our family for years. So I think it’s fair to say that Russian illustrators such as Vasnetsov, Benois, Konashevich, Bilibin have had an influence on me since I was tiny.
What inspires your work?
Seeing other countries! My current inspiration I brought from Italy’s Florence, which is an absolute wonder of a city, and I still have ‘a piece’ of Rome left from last year in my inspiration cupboard.
What do you like?
I really like plants and flowers and dancing in the gardens!
What don’t you like?
Stupidity, MTV and cruelty towards animals.
Find Daria Hlazatova here:
dariasgallery.blogspot.co.uk
facebook.com/DariaHlazatova
