Rina Kazavchinski
Artist Statement
I create art because it takes me away from my everyday life. It lets me focus on the task at hand and brings me into a meditative state. When I'm creating art, time stops, and all my worries and anxieties disappear. Creating brings me joy and I find relief in this practice mentally and spiritually. I am also very fascinated by the ability to create something that has never been created before.
I love using bright and vibrant colours. I mostly use acrylic and some mixed media to create a lot of heavy texture to create art that pops right off the canvas. All my paintings start and end with the palette knife as no brushes are used in my work. My ultimate goal is to brighten up my viewer's life with bright textured pops of colour to bring joy to the viewer’s life through colour.
Biography
Rina Kazavchinski has honed her artistic skills as a successful Canadian abstract artist and digital illustrator specializing in vibrant abstract pieces and digital illustrations. She creates textured abstract paintings that brighten up any space. Her paintings are unique and can be recognized anywhere. Using bold texture and special palette knife techniques. She is mostly inspired by nature and mental health. She also specializes in body-positive illustrations highlighting the human form.
Rina has exhibited her work at several in-person and online art shows. Most recently she exhibited at her largest show yet, the winter One of a Kind Show in Toronto in December. Rina has sold over two hundred original paintings and hundreds of digital illustrations. Recently her work was featured on Season 2 of Sort Of, a hit show airing on CBC Gem and HBO Max.
What does form mean to you? How does this inspire you?
To me, Form means flow and creativity. Abstract art is important to me because it's imaginative and not what is obviously seen. It is imagination and the creation of a fantasy world where anything and everything can exist. This inspires me because there are absolutely no rules to follow and everything goes. I feel free and am able to flow naturally from the heart.
You said that creating art brings you into a meditative state, do you think the same can be said for when viewers are seeing your art as well?
I'm not sure if they feel the same all the time. It really depends on the painting and the colours that I used. Sometimes they can feel excited, inspired or calm.
Are there colours that you gravitate towards? And for what reason?
I've been gravitating towards warm and vibrant colours such as purples, teals, pinks, blues and whites. These colours make me feel at peace and calm. I try to portray a similar feeling to my viewers when I use these colours.
Your paintings are created entirely with a palette knife, what makes this style unique in both the process and outcome?
This makes it unique because it's unconventional and different. This is unique in the process because it makes me feel closer to the painting. I'm able to layer on thick coats of paint which adds a lot of texture. I'm also able to change the strength of my palette strokes to create different kinds of effects. The outcome of using palette knives and other special tools, adds luscious texture and art that pops out of the canvas. I love when paint pops out of the canvas because it becomes very tactile when touched.
Which external influences do you take the most inspiration from?
I am often inspired by the beauty of the colours of nature. Whether it's a vibrant sunrise or the golden glow of golden hour right before the sun sets, I often use these colours from nature to recreate the calm feeling I feel during those times through my art. The colours that make me feel the calmest are colours such as; various shades of blues, lilacs, teals, purples, and whites.