Get To Know Artist Slavica Velevska and Her Working Style

How does your working day start?

A good cup of coffee! I love to work with natural sunlight as the colours of my paint are more true and I can achieve greater detail. I also find I have the most energy early in the morning.

Which Artists inspire your work and why?

The work of the French Impressionists (1870- 1890) come to mind. I love Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s pastel drawings of nudes. Working very quickly, he managed to capture his life model in a candid position combing her hair or taking a bath. I also enjoy Edgar Degas use of pastels in his behind the scenes series of Ballet.

Blonde Braiding Her Hair, 1886 by Renoir Two Dancers on a Stage, 1874 by Degas

My style and technique has evolved over time and varies depending on the subject matter and materials used. I approach each genre: life drawing, portraits, landscapes or abstract work very differently. Sometimes my life drawings are created spontaneously because of the medium and other times my own mood and emotions. I believe every artist has their own vision thus their own unique way of working and style.

What do you like about life drawing?

It’s simplicity. Life drawing is honest. When we remove all the layers of clothing we are stripped of status and any pretence. Life drawing depicts the human body in its natural, beautiful form. We come in all shape and sizes and as an artist I try to convey the beauty in that. The subtle lines of expression, telling a story and empathy with the model are my main objectives.

What is your favourite piece you’ve ever created and why?

If I had to choose one it would be Skin Deep. This is large drawing, using mixed mediums including strips of strong paper, glued down then the figure is outlined with charcoal and dark pastels. I used yellows and light browns for the skin and hues of blues and greens to create form and weight. The lines are quite rough and chaotic whilst the figure and facial expression is one of peace and tranquillity. The collage and strips of textured paper add dimension, thus the name.

Skin Deep by Slavica Velevska

How do you get in flow to create your art?

When I start a new piece, I'm excited to see what it will become. I find art has a life of its own - the mediums, the paint, the colour and the surface don’t always do what you want! Therefore I control what I can by mentally clearing my head of any outside distractions and focus 100% on what I'm doing by immersing myself in the piece.

What inspires you?

People. We all have our differences and a unique personality so I strive to capture that difference and the character of the individual.

What are you currently working on?

I'm collaborating with wonderful local creatives to develop new ways to share my work with more people. I want to make my work more accessible to people around the world - more on this soon!

I'm also working on a large scale project with candidates to paint their portraits. These portraits are of people that are prominent in their community, including the arts, music and fashion. My aim with this collection of portraits is for various exhibitions and select for entry in the Archibald. It’s all hush, hush at this stage, but I will keep you posted as soon as I can!

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