Tamara Savchenko is an artist-explorer who never likes to be put in a box with the label on it. Savchenko has experienced life in so many ways that it is impossible for her to stick to one form of art.
Savchenko has lived in four countries, graduated as a doctor and has a PhD in medicine – she has worked as a librarian, a researcher, taught anatomy in a medical school in Russia; a sales assistant, an Avon representative, a science technician and finally a science teacher in the UK. In addition to beening a mother of two children and a wife to a successful professor of physics.
All those experiences taught Savchenko to accept and study all aspects life. As a self-taught artist she does the same with the art she creates. For Savchenko painting is a self-discovery, a continuous journey into her psychic and discovering things she wants to paint about or just let it flow out. Savchenko’s art varies a lot and this is because her mind is constantly looking for new experiences and ways of expression. Savchenko loves to observe people and then paint them, she loves nature so paints trees, flowers and landscapes. Savchenko admires ballet dancers so she paints them. And finally she loves colour and different mediums and uses it impulsively and expressively therefore she paints abstracts.
There is one theme which is going through her work though. It is a presence of triangles or triangular shapes. Whether it is an object or a composition the triangular theme is very frequently there for one single reason – no curves – believing that the power of a straight line is underestimated she is working to show that the world can be seen in straight lines too. The triangle is also a simplest straight line shape but also a very powerful one. It is frequently, in people compositions in particular, represents a choice to be made by you; you and two choices you usually have. It is a part of the storytelling. In her ballet paintings it is about body strain, the powerful poses the ballet dancers create. It is a triangular vision surprises many people but interestingly enough they are convinced by it and as a result Savchenko has paintings in private collection in Moscow, London and Exeter.
Self taught or art school?
I’m a self taught artist. I have attended a few short courses at the Art Academy, London and Phoenix, Exeter.
If you could own one work of art what would it be?
“Six fish and a bird” by Jean Dubuffet. I saw this painting at the Museum of Modern Art in Tel Aviv and it makes me happy. I even thought of reproducing it for myself.
How would you describe your style?
My major and most successful direction is geometric paintings. I use only straight lines which form mainly triangles. I challenged myself by trying to paint in triangles all sort of things: birds, flowers, landscapes, portraits, ballet dancers. I have succeeded. Even some of my abstract works have a triangular theme. My philosophy behind it is that people usually see curves, circles, cycles of energy flow but triangles are very powerful minimalistic shapes and I can use them to show the beauty of the world too.
Where are your favourite places to view art?
My artistic Mecca is Tate. Every time I am in London I go there, to both Tate Modern and Tate Britain. The other place is Saatchi Gallery. Recently I started going to the White Cube and Hayward Galleries, which have very interesting exhibitions all the time.
Who are your favourite artists and why?
Interestingly my favourite artists change over the time. My major inspiration from the beginning of my artistic career was Picasso. He still is but I added a few more to my list. They are Malevich, Rembrandt, Hockney, Peter Bruegel the Elder, Pollock, Lowry, Schiele. I love them for different reasons but they are my guides and teachers, teaching me different things.
What or who inspires your art?
I lived a very diverse and interesting life. All my experiences accumulated in me and I need to express myself. I love to observe, anything: people, nature, animals. Those observations find their way in my paintings. Human activities, beautiful landscapes or ballet dancers are my main themes.
Where’s your studio and what’s it like?
My studio is a converted garage at home. I must admit it is pretty messy and I am a very messy artist. Once I ended up with a green paint on my hair. When I went to my hairdresser he joked “ I thought you suppose to paint with brushes“. I usually have a couple of things to work on at the same time because some paintings with lots of details take longer time to paint and I need a break from that and do something abstracts.
Do you have any studio rituals?
I don’t have any particular rituals but although being an amateur artist I go to the studio every day to paint as a professional.
What are you working on currently?
I have a couple of projects. One is Triangular Life. Borough Market which is the fifth painting from Triangular Life series. It has many details and people so it is a long term painting. The other project is my exploration into lives of mature menopausal women, which include my self-portraits and abstract paintings of Mood Swings. I also continue to work on my ballet series and some portraits.
What are your ambitions?
My ambitions only relate to developing my work further and completing my projects. I have had one themed solo exhibition and it would be amazing if one of my projects will make into another solo exhibition.