In this interview, Costa Dvorezky spills the beans on his life as an artist, hitting on everything from his early days inspired by his great-grandfather's horse paintings to his philosophies on creativity and the nitty-gritty of his artistic process. Here's the scoop in a more laid-back tone:
In essence, Costa Dvorezky's chat on the podcast is like catching up with an old friend who happens to be an insanely talented artist. He’s real about the ups and downs, shares laughs about his quirks, and leaves you feeling like hitting the studio (or whatever your creative space) to explore and express.
- Backstory Costa, hailing from Russia and now chilling in Toronto, got his art bug from his great-grandpa. That early exposure to art, especially the equine variety, set him on his path. The guy basically grew up with a paintbrush in hand, thanks to family influence.
- Art School and Beyond The Repin Academy schooled him, but not in the way you might think. Despite its rep for being hardcore academic, Costa found the place more about big ideas than just technical skills, especially during the 90s shift post-Soviet Union. It was all about getting philosophical over paint and canvas, which he digs even more in hindsight.
- Keep It Simple Costa's all for stripping down the process to its essence before diving into the complex bits. Think sculptor vibes, starting with a big chunk of marble and chiseling away.
- Perfection's Overrated He's into the beauty of flaws. For Costa, it’s the imperfections that make a piece pop and resonate on a human level.
- Go With the Flow Planning? Not really his thing. Costa prefers to let art happen, embracing the spontaneity and surprises that come with a more intuitive approach.
- Never Stop Learning The dude's on a perpetual quest for knowledge, finding joy in tackling new challenges and stretching his artistic muscles.
- Why Primary Colors Rule For Costa, a trio of primary colors does the trick. It’s about keeping life (and his palette) uncomplicated.
- Big Canvas, Big Plans While he’s naturally more of a jump-right-in kind of artist, Costa admits that bigger projects do need a bit of forethought and sketching. But it's a necessary evil to him.
- Imagination Over Models Sure, he uses models and photos now and then, but the real magic happens when he ditches the references and lets his imagination lead the charge.
- Teaching Vibes Costa sees teaching as a two-way street, sharing his trials and triumphs rather than preaching from a textbook. It’s about connecting, not dictating.
- On Being an Artist Today It's not just about creating; it’s about navigating the maze of life, finding balance, and sometimes, yes, dealing with the business side of things. But at the heart of it all? Passion for the craft and the sheer joy of making art.
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