Model/Makeup Artist/Hair Stylist/Wardrobe Stylist: Anastasia | Staz

1. What significant life experiences or events have influenced and shaped your artistic vision?

Ever since I was a child, my life revolved around art. Growing up in Russia, I was always around art - my grandad was an amazing architect and artist, who kept teaching himself new techniques basically until he passed. I strongly believe his artistic talent was passed down to me, as I live and breathe art, and I am so grateful for having been exposed to such talent.

From a young age, some time in the beginning of secondary school, I began doodling patterns and patterns in all of my diaries, school books, any pieces of paper I could get my hands on.

Perhaps it was a form of escapism as well as an incredible need to constantly be creating something. Throughout college I continued with this and took it further, creating large-scale pattern drawings, symmetry drawn only using my hand. It was meditation to me; I think it will always be. We had a black wall in one of the flats I lived in, and with the permission of the landlord, I covered that wall with my meditative pattern work.

Upon moving to London, my friends always wanted to shoot me for their art or photography projects - I was always up for it as I studied photography thoroughly and was just finding out that the camera likes me. It was all random help for friends until at the age of 23 I went through a traumatic event that turned my life upside down. Art was saving me, drawing was saving me, and I had started to model to support myself financially and to keep myself occupied. This is when I fell in love with it all. It became like oxygen, something I needed to breathe. Living in London I was constantly inspired by both models and photographers left right and centre - I was lucky enough to have plenty of friends who modelled, and a few good photographers. The choice I made with my look brought other photographers to my page and it started snowballing.

2. Collaboration often sparks fresh creativity. Can you share an example of a collaboration that led to an unexpected and exciting artistic outcome?

I couple of months ago I shot in with the very talented Camille Alyssa while on a quick trip to London. It was a creative shoot where we had an idea of the general look/outfits, but aside from that we just decided to go with the flow. Through our conversations during the shoot, we came to talking about deep topics, and our conversation really flowed - we began focusing on the concept of pain and painful experiences. This resulted in incredible photos, better than either of us expected. They turned out to be so much more meaningful than we thought, and this was seen immediately when looking at the photos. Working together and talking was so fluid, Camille helped bring out the darker side of me, translating my pain into photographs, exploring the aspect of suffering and pain in my life, and from that, we achieved excellence. Every emotion I felt was captured truly and beautifully on camera and the results speak for themselves. They make you feel. I urge you to check out Camille’s talent and portfolio via instagram (@camilleaalyssa) or her website https://www.camillealyssafilms.com/ I am super grateful for the connection we made and how everything turned out. It was truly a collaboration based on emotion and trust.

3. Walk us through a specific project that challenged your creative boundaries. How did you approach it, and what did you learn from the experience?

Oh, there are many stories I could share here. My creative boundaries have been, and keep being tested regularly; be it undervaluing me as an artist, refusing to give back photographs, insults when I don’t want to work with someone - I see it all.

A particular challenge to my boundaries that I can remember was shooting in Thailand, on an island called Koh Samui, around 5 or so years ago now. I was shooting in completely derelict and hidden away places with a male photographer. This was a massive challenge of trust first and foremost, and I took it on. We shot some incredible images. I had to fit into places and be contorted in positions I didn’t even know were possible. I was so entranced with the experience of it all, so excited about how the raw images were turning out, that I didn’t pay attention to my safety. There were multiple tests to my boundaries, and I regret allowing myself to be in those positions, but I definitely learned from the experience. I understood freelance modelling in more depth, I learned more self respect, I learned how to be assertive. I learned how to vet anyone that wants to work with me in order to keep myself safe, above all else. And I learned to never, ever, let my creative or any other boundaries be tested again.

4. In the ever-evolving art world, what do you believe sets your work apart and makes it unique or groundbreaking?

I feel that as a well-rounded artist, I pushed myself out of the norm early on. I knew I was a blank canvas, I knew that I was going to be the art. Slowly but surely I started covering myself in tattoos. The art I chose (and still choose) to have on my body is mostly large, heavily black, illustrative, and pattern work. Although we are in the age of everyone-has-a-tattoo, my vision for myself was always different - I think I decided at 17 that I would be covered head to toe - and didn’t fit in with the ‘norm’; even when tattoos became normalised, I lost out on multiple shoots and campaigns due to the style of art I chose to wear. I made a full dedication to integrate my style and vision of art into my look, developing something different from the rest, just like I always felt. They are a reflection of all of me, including my passion for art, often down to the style of art I work in. But my tattoos aren’t what makes me unique - my passion, my emotions, my experiences are what make me stand out in the art world. I have Borderline Personality Disorder, amongst many other things, and although I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, I have learned to use it to my advantage when it came to art - whether drawing or modelling, I am able to bring out so much emotion, in my work, in my face; I can play so many roles and adapt to so many things. I think this has also helped me in working with photographers on projects that are emotional, conceptual, out-of-the-ordinary; just as I think it should be.

5. As you reflect on your journey, are there any specific goals or milestones you've set for your artistic career in the coming years?

I don’t really set myself goals per se, to avoid situations where I don’t reach the goal and feel dissatisfied or disappointed in myself. There is, however, a CVS-length receipt of things I would like to achieve and hope I can, without putting too much pressure on myself. One of the things I want to do is really sell my art, both digital and canvas works, to truly establish myself as an artist. My biggest dream is to become a tattoo artist - this is something I’ve been striving for for years, growing up watching tattoo competition shows, then covering myself in tattoos and watching closely the process of each artist that worked on me, asking technical questions and absorbing the information to use in my own practice. I dream of putting my own illustrations onto other people’s skin, seeing their faces light up - I want to create tattoos that make people feel better in whichever way I can, such as covering unwanted scars and turning what was a traumatic event for someone into a thing of beauty that gives them confidence and maybe even helps them heal.

I don’t just want to model, I want to really keep creating something special over and over again, be it through modelling, art or tattooing. I want to leave a legacy and be known as the artist I have been all my life.