DPW Spotlight Interview: Dmitry Vyazmin

Each week we will spotlight a different DPW artist who will give away one of their best paintings. To enter to win Dmitry's painting " Sunflowers" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing their interview.

From Dmitry's DPW Gallery Page:

Having worked for many years in one place on one day, I decided to change everything. I just picked up brushes and paints and started painting. I had no knowledge of color, shape or composition. I just followed my intuition, my inner vision. I was inspired by the works of artists of the past and my contemporaries. I looked at their pictures tried to understand and see through their eyes. I felt the dried paint on the canvas. I devoted all my time to this. 24 hours a day I either painted or looked at pictures of other artists, sometimes I could not sleep for several days. When I went to bed and closed my eyes, a multi-colored mosaic of brush strokes appeared in front of my eyes. (click to read more)

What did you want to be growing up?

As a child, I had many different interests. My ideas about future activities changed very often. When I graduated from school, the active development of computer systems and the Internet began. I graduated from the university and earned the specialty of a programmer, but I worked very little in this specialty.

When did your artistic journey begin?

I never painted until I was thirty. Friends gave me a certificate for classes in the Betty Edwards Method. Since then, for six years now, I have been drawing almost every day.

Sunflowers
(click to view)

Enter to win by clicking on the link at the top of the DPW home page announcing Dmitry's interview.

Did you have long periods without creative expression? How did you get back on the horse?

I don't usually have a lot of breaks in drawing. I'm not waiting for inspiration, I just sit and paint and inspiration comes to me in the process.

Which mediums and genres do you gravitate toward? Which ones don’t appeal?

I paint in oils and watercolors. In watercolor I like its randomness, and in oil "solidity". I want to try pastels. I like color painting, so pencil and other monochrome materials don't appeal to me.

Texas Bluebonnet
(click to view)

What was the process like of pinpointing your personal style or finding your voice?

I'm still in the process of finding my own style. I want to make my paintings recognizable, but I don't want to make them monotonous.

Name an artist (or artists), well-known or not, who you admire. Why?

I love the texture and color painting. I like many modern impressionist: Bateau Dugarzhapov, Vyacheslav Korolenko, Nata Shray. I love innuendo and ambiguity in painting.

Chickadee
(click to view)

If you could offer one piece of advice to your younger, creative self — what would that be?

I would advise not to wait for the perfect moment. An imperfect picture painted today is better than a perfect picture painted tomorrow.

Do you utilize any habits or tricks for winning the distraction and procrastination battle?

The best way to deal with procrastination is to be honest with yourself. If we don't want to do something, we come up with excuses and begin to do other things pretending that we have no time. In fact, we just need to answer the question whether this case is so important to us or we're just trying to convince ourselves of this. To beat procrastination, you can only learn to distinguish between your own desires and goals from those imposed upon us by someone.

Blue Mountains Oregon
(click to view)

In moments of self-doubt or adversity, how do you push forward?

At such moments, I remember biographies of famous artists and understand that even they had challenges before. This realization helps me to remember that this is just a thought that I can simply change.

What are some of your long and short term goals for yourself or your art?

Now I want to learn a more abstract technique of painting. I don't like to make plans, because life is always more interesting as the sum of our ideas.

Poppies
(click to view)

What does success mean to you personally?

Success for me is to do what you love, while fully ensuring one's financial needs.

What is one of your proudest moments in your creative life?

I was very inspired by the first sale of my paintings. For me it is very important to understand that my art is in demand.

Thanks, Dmitry!

© 2021 Sophie Marine