Art, for Tetiana Bogdanova, is not just a practice—it’s a lifeline, a way to process emotions, and a bridge between the self and the world. With roots in Fine and Decorative Arts, a journey through animation, and a deep connection to painting, each piece carries a story, a pulse, a fragment of something deeply felt. Whether capturing lighthearted joy or navigating through darkness, the work remains a testament to resilience, passion, and the search for meaning. From the echoes of Kyiv to the golden warmth of Italy, inspiration flows freely, shaping a vision that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.

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Have you ever felt drawn toward a conventional career path? What made you take the "creative leap" despite the risks?

I have been drawing for as long as I can remember, as a child it was the greatest happiness for me when no one bothered me and I could draw in a notebook with a ballpoint pen all day. When I was choosing an institute and profession, I was a little afraid to study to be an artist, but it was my mother who said “This is what you love, you will regret it if you choose something else”. That is why I chose Fine and Decorative Arts. I was not always engaged in painting, but my profession was always related to art and the knowledge that I gained at the institute helped me in my work. One of my favourite moments was the creation of the Ukrainian full-length cartoon Gulliver Returns, where I was the main sculptor for the characters. But I always dreamed of creating paintings and chose painting as my life's work, because only by creating something of my own do I become truly happy.

How do you reignite creativity during those inevitable periods of self-doubt or stagnation?

Indeed, sometimes doubts overwhelm me, but the purpose of art for me is to release emotions. When I create a painting, sometimes I forget to breathe, it absorbs me and the whole world around me stops. I think that even if my work did not find its fans, I would still create paintings because for me this is the meaning of life. I am happy when I find a new idea for my painting and sad when I lose enthusiasm at the sketch stage and reject the idea, but it is all a process, a path to new discoveries and my growth as an artist. I have many stories that I want to tell in paintings and, perhaps in the future, in sculptures.

Can art be truly therapeutic? Have you experienced its healing power personally, or seen it impact others?

Art has truly been a healing experience for me. I live in Ukraine, in Kyiv, and when the full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine began, I went numb and for the first week I couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep, and couldn’t create anything. And then I saw the painting “Judith” by Giorgione and started working on my painting “Free Ukraine.” Step by step, it helped me get out of the abyss of war depression. I painted to the sounds of sirens, gunshots, and explosions, and it protected my psyche and healed my mind. Art also affects the viewer, and that’s why I love creating happy paintings that will make the viewer smile. I often hear from people that my Dessert Girls made their day better and that they are now smiling—it fills me with warmth and gratitude.

Artificial Intelligence is increasingly infiltrating creative fields. Do you see artificial intelligence as a threat, a tool, or a collaborator in the art world?

The only danger of artificial intelligence is that a person who could potentially become a great artist may lose faith in the value of his art before he receives recognition because works created by artificial intelligence create the illusion that artificial intelligence can cope better than a person. But artificial intelligence is not able to replace the artist because art is not just the ability to accurately convey form or incredible detail. Art is a connection between the artist and the viewer, it is the story of the artist and his path to art. When a person buys a painting, he receives not just an image, he receives energy and a piece of the artist's soul, it is magic between people. For some artists, Artificial Intelligence has become an assistant, but I still avoid it. For me, art created by artificial intelligence is cold and not cosy. But perhaps in the future, the symbiosis of artificial intelligence and humans will create something completely new and will change our perception of art in general.

Has social media democratised art or diluted its value? How do you feel platforms like Instagram influence modern creativity?

In addition to portraits, I love to paint nudes, I like to study human anatomy and especially female forms because I believe that nature achieved perfection in its work when it created a woman. Social networks, especially Instagram, do not see the difference between art and pornography, so my mostly innocent nudes are blocked on social networks for recommendations and slow down the promotion of my art and I am far from the only artist who suffers from this. So yes, social networks have a great influence on contemporary art, for example, I feel the temptation to dress my models precisely because of the social network algorithm. On the other hand, social networks have become a powerful platform for demonstrating art and have become a bridge between the artist and the collector. It is on social networks that an artist can reveal his personality and find his viewers and admirers anywhere in the world. That's how I found my collectors, who became not just collectors, but close friends. Every time I am amazed at how similar and close we are, regardless of the country or continent we were born on, and how incredible it is to receive support from a person who is on the other side of the planet.

Name five pivotal lessons you’ve learned that shaped your artistic journey.

✧ Be honest with yourself and create only those paintings that you feel with your heart.

✧ Don't be afraid of colour and bright blue in the shadow.

✧ Not everyone likes your art and you don't have to justify it.

✧ You never know anatomy perfectly, always study it.

✧ Don't be discouraged if no one needs your art - you still need it.

If you could become one of your creations for a day, which would it be and why?

This would be the painting “Orange Dream” because its world knows no pain, it is pure and free. This painting hangs above my sofa in the living room and every time I look at it - it gives me peace, its sunny colours lift my mood even in the most gloomy weather, and when the sun shines on it - it seems to come to life and live its beautiful life.

If you could live anywhere in the world to further inspire your creativity, where would it be?

I love my country and Ukrainian culture, but I also dream of living in Italy. Italian architecture, culture and art inspire me, I dream of studying painting and sculpture with Italian artists. I have several paintings dedicated to Italy: “Croissant”, “Sweet Minori” and of course “Path of the Lemons” - in honour of my favourite path in Italy. Every trip there for me is a journey to the blessed lands. I also really love the Italians themselves, their temperament and their character, they are bright, warm and talented people. In the future, I plan to fulfill my dream and am already looking at an art institute in Italy.

Are there any upcoming projects or dreams that you’re particularly excited about?

Whenever I work on one or two paintings, I already have several ideas and sketches in a row, waiting for their turn. But there are special ideas that I have been carrying for years and it always seems to me that either I or other people are not ready for this painting. Often these paintings are gloomy and dark, because like other people I have a multifaceted personality and not only positive thoughts occupy my mind. So in my head, I already carry a whole series of gloomy fantastic images for paintings. In fact, since childhood, it was gloomy images that troubled my mind and only the influence of certain important people in my life influenced the fact that I found light in my heart and created a whole series of such positive paintings as Dessert Girls.

What kind of legacy do you hope to leave in the art world?

When in my childhood my mind formulated the idea that I would like to become an artist - the dream of entering the history of art was also formed, so I have been working hard on this all my life. I want each painting to tell a story, to immerse the viewer in my world and for everyone to be able to take a piece of happiness for themselves in my works. After all, this is what I will leave on Earth before my journey into eternity.

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Through war, through doubt, and through the ever-evolving artistic journey, the commitment of Tetiana remains the same: to create honestly, to share something real, and to leave behind a world filled with more colour, emotion, and meaning.