Artists Interview Artists: Anabela Jevtovic

Anabela Jevtovic, a Toronto based artist, participates in the Artists Interview Artists Project. Below Anabela responds to another artist's five questions (Eridanus Sellen from Sacramento, CA). In order to participate, Anabela had to provide me with five questions for some other artist to answer. The assigning of questions to artists is completely random. If you're an artist and interested in participating, let me know.

Fairy Tale
Mixed media on canvas
75cm x 55cm

1. How do you market your art work?

I don’t. At least I don’t do it in a way of today’s practice. I let word of mouth be my strongest advertisement. Obviously, I need a little help in that field.

2. Do you consider your art your career?

I would definitely call myself an artist. Not long time ago I considered this labeling quite egocentric, but now I understand that art is great part of my being. My main profession is interior design apart from the fine arts. So, definitely, art (whether applied or not) is my career as I can not picture myself doing anything else.

3. Do you ever find yourself making art for a buyers market or is it always for yourself?

I do respond to the buyers market, however, I do it in a manner of my own style. If it gets accepted, it’s great. If not, then I would never sign or make something just to sell. Sure, this path I choose is more difficult, but I have a strong belief in what I’m doing. I actually trust that every single individual is to choose own course. In other words, I never criticize the work people do to answer the buyers market (for which I believe in big percentage has nothing to do with art). Even when I design an interior, I would never accept a job that I suppose is going to be something I wouldn’t approve. For that reason I believe artists and designers exist. We are there to educate potential buyers to separate art from kitsch.

4. How do you feel when you hear someone critique your work?

I actually crave for criticism, but an honest one. Quite often I hear people say they like it, they think the painting or drawing, or whatever is good… and so on. That doesn’t help me! Mostly I ask for more detailed explanation of what they see. If there is something they feel towards my art, I then believe that I achieved something. Sure it hurts little when I hear bad criticism. Then, for a slight second I tend to believe my art is not appreciated enough, or the person criticizing has poor understanding of art. Anyhow, I always take it positively. I learn from critiques.

5. What is your favorite piece that you have created?

That is a hard question. Few years ago I had my favorite piece of work. It was a painting of a tree on silk. Now, I don’t see that image representing my style anymore. I mostly appreciate my drawings as I believe them being quite personal, therefore representing my artist personality. I go trough different periods where I like different things that I’ve done. But in all honesty, I adore the work I created being completely ‘naked’ to the world. Being honest with myself. And for me that is just the most difficult thing to do. Unfortunately, I can rarely dare to use those moments and present them.

The Looks
Mixed media on cardboard
82cm x 110cm

Previous Interviews:
Juno Doran (questions by James W. Bailey)
Josh Feldman (questions by Joseph Barbaccia)
Lisa Stephenson (questions by Whitney Lynn)
Joseph Barbaccia (questions by Josh Feldman)
James W. Bailey (questions by Matt Hollis)
Matt Hollis (questions by Juno Doran)
Carol Es (questions by James Leonard)
Alexandra Silverthorne (questions by Ami Lahoff)
Christine Buckton Tillman (questions by Carol Es)
Douglas Witmer (questions by Alexandra Silverthorne)
Sky Pape (questions by Douglas Witmer)
Whitney Lynn (questions by Lisa Stephenson)
Heather Levy (questions by Joanne Greenbaum)
Heather Lowe (questions by Samantha Wolov)
Samantha Wolov (questions by Heather Levy)
Timothy McClellan (questions by Heather Lowe)
James Leonard (questions by Sky Pape)
Joanne Greenbaum (questions by Timothy McClellan)
Richard Kooyman (questions by Robert Walton)
Candy Keegan (questions by Warren Craghead)
Robert Walton (questions by Candy Keegan)
John M. Adams (questions by Richard Kooyman)
Prescott Moore Lassman (questions by Mary Addison Hackett)
Mary Addison Hackett (questions by Prescott Moore Lassman)
Andrew Wodzianski (questions by Nathan Manuel & D.Billy)
Nathan Manuel & D.Billy (questions by Andrew Wodzianski)
Michael Janis (questions by Scott Listfield)
Scott Listfield (questions by Michael Janis)
F. Lennox Campello (questions by Sean Hennessy)
Matt Andrade (questions by Adrian Parsons)
Sean Hennessy (questions by F. Lennox Campello)
George Wayne (questions by Michelle McAuliffe)
Eridanus Sellen (questions by Anabela Jevtovic)

Comments

[martin]

nice works, and so different. one looks like it came from the 60's, and the other the 80's.