This is Ira, a very reflective designer-artist, illustrator and mother. It was a great surprise to meet her. Most interesting thing she told me is this: she and her husband are both artists and they decided not to explain to their child how to draw and what to draw. They want their son to find out for himself how to use pens, paint and paper. Ira enjoys to observe the not always so 'sweet' drawings of her son. He is making his own way. Imagine what will happen when he arrives at the Kharkov Art Academy, she asks herself. He will have to draw apples, pears and nudes with pencil and acrylic, as he is told. She does not like that idea at all. She is also planning an exhibition with children's drawings, as some kind of 'counter' movement to the more traditional art. Ira keeps a blog about her sons 'work': http://vasyalu.blogspot.com (Предыдущее below the posts to go to the next).
Athough the teachers I have spoken to hate to be called traditional, I am happy to find out about Ira's activities and her individual way of looking at art. It brings me to the heart of art, that has to remain pure, follow its own track in time, and always needs to question itself in order to keep its relevance. Below some photos I have taken in the Art Academy. Shocking at first, but also admirable. These students are getting technical skills I can only dream about...
