How fairy-tale worlds are born: an interview with Olga Kuznetsova

Interview with artist Olga Kuznetsova for Postal Ukraine:

About inspiration

Where did your love for fairy-tale illustration begin?

I always read as a child, reading was my way to escape from reality, to hide for a while from my childhood school problems. My books were my friends, and I could look at the illustrations in them for a very long time. Later, I began to imagine myself drawing them, I even drew something for myself. I entered the institute at the faculty of book graphics, began to draw in children's magazines, and later books. I am always inspired by beautiful texts, my imagination, and my ability, which I have honed over the years, to see beauty in everything, in little things, in everyday things - in the Japanese way of admiring a leaf in a puddle, a feather stuck to a fence, etc. All my fantasy paintings are drawn from the real world, for example, an elf floating on a leaf is a puddle near the house, photographed by me, and I add fairy-tale characters later, when the general background is built in my head

What inspires you the most: nature, books, dreams, childhood memories or something else?

When my daughter was born, I thought, like all mothers, that she looks like an angel and a fairy, I wanted to draw her in flowers, and so it happened, I started drawing my fairy. She has always inspired me with fairy-tale plots. While I draw, I always come up with some kind of story for the character, it is much more interesting to work this way and it turns out easier and better

About the creative process

How long does it take to create one work? What stage of work do you like the most?

I draw for a long time, because my technique is glazes, layering thin layers of paint. For several weeks. First I see a nice background for the painting, just somewhere around me. The same flowerbed, or a puddle))) then I populate this background with characters

There are a lot of small elements in your works. Do you hide special symbols or messages in them?

In the process, I always want to add more and more details, but I have never hidden any hidden subtexts in the details. But the idea is interesting, now I want to do it))

About nature

Do you have any favorite plants, insects or animals that often appear in your paintings?

I don’t have any favorite insects or plants – they are absolutely all beautiful. But there are those that are very easy to draw, and there are those that are difficult, their beauty is complex and constructive) For example, peonies are always a paradise for an artist, everyone loves to draw them and they are quite simple. But a flower like an iris is no less beautiful, but it requires thoughtful work.

About postcards

How do you feel about your works traveling the world in the form of postcards

I am sincerely glad that these postcards will travel the world, I hope people will like them

What emotion would you like to convey to the person who receives your postcard for the first time?

I would like to bring people a light joy with my works, a childish light delight, so that their mood improves, I would be happy with that

Unusual questions

If you could spend a day in any of your paintings, which one would you choose?

In fact, I constantly spend a day in my paintings while I paint them. I haven’t spent that much time in reality

What music could your fairies listen to?

I have always liked the music of Saint-Saëns, The Birdcage and Aquarium from Carnival of the Animals, sometimes I put them to work

Is there a character in your fairy-tale world who looks like you?

But I don't associate my fairies with myself, unfortunately I don't feel that lightness of mind and ability for carefree fun, which, in my opinion, are inherent in my characters.