Artist Statement

July 2017

After traveling the world, but spending most of my life in Europe, I relocated to Sonoran desert in 2005.  For many years my art laid dormant, but surprisingly, I discovered inspiration in the desert. Due to my origin, my prospective and perception was unique and very unlike those associated with traditional Southwestern forms of art. This allowed me to bring an original twist to forms and objects native to this area.

I initiated my latest artistic journey in Tucson, Arizona by decorating gourds with materials found in the desert.  My work soon evolved into replacing the gourds and solely utilizing the objects from the desert that intrigued and inspired me. I had used various combinations of pieces of dried cacti such as saguaro and prickly pear, bark of pine tries and mica collected on the nearby mountain Lemmon. These fragments were put together as to accomplish harmony of shapes and colors while creating pieces of jewelry or sculptures. In the process,my art has grown beyond the desert concept to include all natural environments. As I recently moved from Arizona to St Petersburg, Florida, I embraced the offerings from the beaches as my new materials. Currently the beach treasures along with my vivid imagination keep me playful and busy. Yet, if I ever get relocated again, I know that my art will go on and thrive. Thus, I would like to define my art as “Captured from Nature by Vanya.”