Holidays in the City (2 of 4) Print

"I am an abstract experimental artist by choice. I can paint and draw realistically, but I like the freshness of colors and the ambiguity of interpretations that abstract art allows. I like having a fresh new vibe in a space and questions that are not fully answered. Maybe that is why I'm drawn to testing and trying materials and combinations that are not being widely used (fabrics, vinyls, recycled materials), and making art that allows for versatility in both display and interpretation. When I paint or draw colors and patterns are my ways of preserving the energy I sense while making art in hopes to grasp it and transmit it the viewers. I often work while listening to music, so the brushstrokes or lines assume the rhythm and the flow of the music. They happen fast and very naturally. I almost never know what I am going to paint or draw when I am in front of a blank canvas. I like making fast bold gestural lines, that have movement and rhythm, and colors that are bold and nonapologetic. I am still to overcome my general avoidance of neutral colors and soft transitions of colors. I grew up in St.Petersburg, Russia, a city of beautiful architecture and many cloudy days, that is affectionately called by some "the city of hundreds of beautiful grays". So I had quite a bit of greys and neutrals while growing up, enough to last for many years. That is one of the reasons that for over a decade I have avoided using neutrals and soft neutrals in my art." Tatiana L. Sougakova is a Russian born American non-representational artist. She is classically trained in restoration arts, but now works in a non-representational, experimental style. She is interested in exploring different materials and techniques (translucent vinyl, fabrics, recycled materials) to make art that is visually versatile and encourages physical and emotional participation. She has always been drawn to making art which creates a sense of excitement and togetherness for people of any ages and backgrounds. She has exhibited locally, nationally, and internationally for over 10 years. In addition to showing her work in traditional gallery settings, she has shown her outdoor art installations in New Jersey, Connecticut, and New York City as a part of the Figment Art Festival on Roosevelt Island (2018) and Governor’s Island (2019). Her art is in private collections in US, Europe and Asia.