Interview with Vanessa Stefanova

Pretty Girls Making Cool Shit: Welcome! Would you like to introduce yourself?

Vanessa Stefanova: Hello, Pretty Girls Making Cool Shit! Thanks for spending some time interviewing me by the way, I appreciate the thought sharing. Lol, I’m deep into astrology so naturally I’d tell you I’m a Scorpio rising, Gemini and born at 2:10 pm, June 12, 1993 in Camperdown Sydney. For anyone into astrology, I’ve just given you far too much information. For anyone else… I guess I’ve given you nothing but a precise time to send me good birthday vibes.

PGMCS: Have you always been artistic/creative?

VS: My whole life. I believe my first painting was very young, but the one I remember doing first was on a canvas mum pulled out for herself and I felt jealous, I wanted that canvas. It was pretty big for me, I think it’s roughly 75cm tall? I should check that. So I painted our front yard. By the time I finished I’d found a sense of depth so I changed it, mum thought changing it ruined it (in a funny way). I recently reverted it so she can have it the original way. However as I grew older into my teens I found myself in a crowd that believes art is a waste of time so I stopped for a few years there. In 2015 I made a painting and someone I was dating at the time even said “why even bother”... by 2017 I then came roaring back to fully submerge my life in art. It’s what I was born to do.

PGMCS: What lead you to the surrealist style/what inspires you about surrealism?

VS: It’s just the way I see the world, there’s no other way of thinking for me. Whenever I see something the thought of merging that idea with another will flood into my mind. For example, the lights in my house are all different colors, pink, blue, purple, green bulbs (it’s just a fun way to live) and as I fell asleep the other day I looked up at my pendant waiting for it to turn itself off and I still had the image in my mind of an artwork I created earlier that day. Then those two ideas merged and I’ve decided to create a neon glowing animal artwork. We’ll see how the reality of that plays out… I’d say surrealism doesn’t inspire me, but the world and events of life inspire me to create something surreal to get my point across. I tend to avoid looking at Dali artworks in particular because countless people have made comparisons and I want to stay unique. However I really enjoy Bosch artworks! I love historical artists, they stood the test of time for a reason. I enjoy the concept of Magritte artworks, but you’ll see me taking the piss of his techniques a lot in my videos. Art history is so fascinating to me, all the artists have all their own quirks.

PGMCS: When did you begin exploring digital artworks in addition to traditional oil painting? Have the two mediums influenced one another in your work? 

VS: The digital artworks are more of an expression of ideas, and the paintings are intentional. I always want to convey something to the viewer with my paintings. 

The digital artworks could be an accident, I guess? In 2016 I started an instagram as a portfolio to get jobs, it started off as just photography since that’s something I brought to my graphic design jobs. Some advertisers would want me to whip out Photoshop skills onto the designs and naturally I created surreal concepts. I just thought that’s what the assignment was… As my instagram grew into a portfolio I began editing the photos creatively to show my skills and just found myself at a point where I was creating surreal digital pieces for the sake of creating something I wanted to share as opposed to trying to find a job. 

There’s part of me that feels the paintings are just a bit more special than the digital pieces. I don’t like the idea of feeling like I’m hostage to Adobe in order to create the digital pieces (pending new editing program idea), but when I paint, it’s a one off and my brother once rightly pointed out that I can do anything I want with paint, I did debate this a tad, he’s ultimately right though. I refuse to sell prints of the paintings because I want people to enjoy the depth and frustrations of the paintings. Paintings are invaluable, they capture a moment in time that might not be my best work at that age, but it is for the environment I created it in.

Along with that I find that my concepts are slightly more ahead with the digital artworks, and in time I try to capture the same idea with paint. However it’s more tricky than you think! I learnt the hard way with my digital artwork, ‘Shoe Fall’ and painting, ‘Carbon Footprint’ that the digital artworks and paintings should not cross over so directly. I tried again with ‘Pine Hot Air Balloon’, and painting, ‘The Traveller’ where I painted the scene from a different angle to the digital piece and still found myself at the same conclusion that they should not cross over. I tried again with my Dali appropriation (before I stopped looking at his work), ‘Suez Hijacked’ and ‘Trench’. One is always compromised in aesthetics.

If I try again to recreate one or the other, it’s because I forgot or I believe I’ve gained some skill that I can do it better this time.

PGMCS: You seem like you are always busy and creating new work! What would you tell another artist who is struggling with time management or creative block?

VS: Thanks for noticing! Rfdscuyghjbdfhujefd (inaudible, feeling grateful) It means a lot that you see that. I have a personal goal that I want to create 2,000 paintings by the time I’m 63 (or 2063? I forgot the math, I think I’ll be in my 40’s) But not half assed paintings, I genuinely love creating so much art. Part of me worries that people think I’m not up to anything… Honestly what I do takes up every second of my life. 

However when I look at a painting I think to myself “oh that’ll only take 6 hours” but you need to understand how to allocate that 6 hours. You also need to understand how fast you do things. I passionately hate Da Vinci’s quote “A painting is never finished, only abandoned”. It’s okay to finish a painting and think it’s shit. I’d also just feel a bit crap if I had 2,000 unfinished paintings hanging around in peoples homes.

I recently finished a 1.8m x 1.2m painting in 10 days. I whipped out my notes and wrote out each day. I had 2 hours planned on the first day for base coat and first oil coat, then no time on the third day because it needs to chill, and by the end of the 10 days I’d be spending all my waking hours on it. It’s about understanding your own process and being so on top of it you can recite your process.

You also need to understand how you work. In recent years I came to realise I’m not a morning person, I never have been! I was just wasting my time getting up at 6 and being a zombie until 3pm. Now I stay up until 2 (sometimes 3 if there’s plenty of work) and take the day slow until about 2pm. I’m far more productive now. Studies show creative people tend to be more night people, others may see you stay up late, sleeping “in” and being creative and think that you’re a bum, that’s okay. They’re close minded. I’m definitely clocking about 9+ hours of work each day (no such thing as weekends here) and there are people who refuse to see that. Find what works with you in terms of taking care of yourself before addressing a mental block, it’s likely not a lack of creativity stopping you, but an interruption.

Mental blocks don’t really happen over here, but in one way I can relate that when I start a project I dive into it deeply, like a true Scorpio rising. Right now I have about 80 videos I need to edit which are my creative process and behind the scenes videos for Patreon. I’m so deep into this project, It’s absolute hell, I hate it! But the harder I focus then the faster it’ll go away and I can get back to painting. This has created a problem where I’m 10 weeks behind in sharing my art! I find it hard to be so deep in this project and create art that I’m entirely focused on. The artworks aesthetics or concept become compromised in situations like this one. I’ve resorted to going back to my plan and saying “hey, I need x amount of hours on this day” and stick to it. The artworks created in this environment are a reflection of my state of mind at the time, just finish it and learn from it. It’s okay to not be at your best all the time, as long as you keep creating.

PGMCS: We are so impressed that you have created your own coloring books with your work! Can you share a bit about how those came about?

VS: Thank you for checking them out! These aren’t some little project I created for shits n’ giggles… These are sticking around! I want people to enjoy art like I do. So many people compliment my art and say they couldn’t do something like that, you totally can! Start off with these books! I want people to believe that they can. If you can hold a tooth brush and clean your teeth successfully, you can aim a pencil.

In late 2019 my grandma asked what I’m up to, any new projects? I told her I want to make some coloring in books. I did it, I said it out loud which meant I had to do it. I never want to be one of those people that says they want to do something and doesn’t do it. Mum suggested that I could send her the file and she’ll print it over there. I had a deadline. Three days later I whipped out the first draft. OMG that was an all-nighter three nights in a row. Looking back, it takes me a few months to whip out an edition, how did I even do that? Sloppy for sure. The story continues.

I come back to the idea that when I was younger I’d show people my coloring pages and they’d humor me, “looks good” and I could tell they could tell it’s a coloring because of the lines. I want the younger generations to do these coloring pages and genuinely be able to fool people that created it from scratch… Feel that accomplishment. That’s how they came to be with the lightweight line design I created. I also created them with a spiral binder so people can get reckless, tear out the pages and stick it on your fridge! Be proud of what you’ve created. The books also help people with figuring out shading and gradients, I’ve even learnt a few things from following the reference pages; such as gold being beige.

PGMCS:Can you tell us about any new projects?

VS: OMG I HAVE SO MANY THIS IS SUCH AN EXCITING QUESTION (inaudible excitement). My new years resolution is not to do any side gigs. I have a tendency to get distracted doing random things like fixing peoples iPhones. So I made a list of things I need done, it’s about 100 items long. I’ve then decided to record the projects in all their mistakes and failures and share them on Patreon. Now that I’m not doing side gigs I need a side-gig style income, Patreon. This project is the mother project of my tiny projects, and since it’s my Saturn return I hope that by the time Saturns done returning I’ll have my shit together. After I finish my editing, I’m going to smash out this years books with that 2019 energy, then I’m going to finish this advertisement (actually two…) I’m building for my car, ones a light up sign with my book on it that will automatically rise up when I park and another is a lightweight monitor I’m building that will also rise up when parked and flip through my artworks. I’m super far behind in my artworks and I love going on art binges so after the books I’ll probably try and smash out about 50-60 artworks (divided between paintings and digital) in about 9 weeks. Knowing me, I’ll miss the time target a bit. Then, actually before that (maybe during?) I’m rebuilding my website from scratch so I’m learning JavaScript at the moment. I think that will solve some problems I have on it. I’m also going to embark on a few more advertising projects like a projector I can project onto other cars when parked (my last one failed). Some more directly art related projects are on the list as well, such as creating a YouTube channel (to help my current channel) which will be focused on unfamous famous artists… Those artworks in galleries which are great but not household names.

That’s all going in the Patreon. Those are just the next few months, but I’m sure after I get through the above to-do list I’ll be all over whatever comes my way next!

In the distant future I want to create a line of pencils people can use with my books and paints. I have the designs already rendered up, but really want to invest time into learning how to make these from scratch with real materials, so these are later projects. I also have some entirely unrelated projects I almost have ready to share after I make it big. You know when singers sell perfume out of nowhere and they have no place in doing so? That kind of project.

PGMCS:What is your favorite thing to paint or create?

VS: I love painting cactuses and pears. I think it’s the green in them and the depth I can create with their textures. In my artworks green has to be used strategically so it doesn’t resemble an alien, but if I get it right then I really enjoy the green. My favourite painting, ‘Trauma’ is still the best cactus I’ve painted, it represents a person going through a hard time (the paint being poured on the cactus) and just having to grow through it, like the cactus does. I’d like to place myself in a position where I can really focus on an artwork, deeply so that I can create something with just as much skill as the first time. A cactus (or pear) is to me, as an apple is to Magritte.

PGMCS: What is the best thing about being an artist?

VS: The best thing is that I was made to do this. I can imagine that if I were really good with numbers (without falling asleep) I’d be just as happy being an accountant. I have such a passion for art. Up there with the best is when you see people enjoying something you created. It clicked for me what art was about after my uncles funeral, where my grandma unknowingly used my artwork for his funeral cards. She felt a connection to that artwork and that’s what I love. I love asking people why they purchased an artwork and the story is always a memorable one.

I also enjoy that there is a science to creating an oil painting, I think that’s how I get away with creating them so fast. I know that if I do x, y and z then I achieve a particular aesthetic.

PGMCS: What is the worst thing about being an artist?

VS: The perception! The career I want to look back on is a one in 8 billion position, of course it’ll take me time to get there.

The amount of people I encounter in real life, who don’t bother to look me up and see how hard I work, are incredibly patranising. They “know” me so why would they look me up online? It comes with unsolicited bad business advice. I’ve been told to make “cat only themed colouring books”, “get richer people to comment on my posts”, “start making rugs”, “make a painting about *insert current trend*”. So many bad business ideas I need to humour because I haven’t made it big in their mainstream worlds. When I reject ideas it’s usually met with a look that screams “you’re not even trying if you don’t try what I just told you”.

For some reason people also think I’m on drugs… I haven’t touched a drug my entire life, I’m sure they would hinder my ability to think creatively and be so proactive. It’s an offensive assumption, I don’t find it cool in any respect.

Don’t be surprised if I grab myself a mansion on the top of a hill about 30 minutes away from anything, just to mind my own business.

PGMCS: Do you have any advice for aspiring artists?

VS: Treat it like retail. Take away the the meaning and you’ve got a product and a customer, that’s retail in the eyes of any government. 

Whip out your spreadsheets and start filling them in! Make spreadsheets for your art, make spreadsheets to find your art, make spreadsheets on who has your art, make spreadsheets on how often you sell art. Write down how much you want for each artwork and don’t void that.

Share everything as well. I read a book a few years ago that said something along the lines of, “If you don’t show people what you’re up to, they won’t think of you when they want that service or product in their life”. Fact. This activity is why I’m encountering commission requests.

I’m not sure if this next piece of advice is follow worthy because I haven’t seen it play out, but if you’re reading this in a few years time, after 2026 and you see this is working for me, then go ahead. I stick to my ethics; I don’t sell prints of my paintings, I don’t do commissions, I don’t do decor art and I definitely make art that has potential to offend, especially decor artists, I’m out to stick it to the damn decor “artists”!

Many thanks to Vanessa for her time! We loved stepping inside this surreal world and soaking up all her enthusiasm and advice for artists! Find her on her website and Instragram