Intervew was given in 2004

I study in the 80th Boarding School. I’m seventeen years old.  I was born on June, 29th, 1988.

I started going to the studio by luck.  I drew well, and wanted to start going to the studio with the other children from my school, but only one group of kids could go during the week.  These kids were older than me and didn’t want me to go with them.  But at our school, after we had an art exhibition of over 40 works, and Anna Mikhailovna, the director of studies insisted that I join the group.  When I first arrived at the studio, I was very hesitant; I was actually afraid to even go up and ask for paints to use!  I was 9 years old at that time. The other children were bolder and easily took what they wanted from the paints on the shelf. But I was more restrained and cautious.

I finally started drawing this village scene: I did a background, little rabbits under roots, trees, and bushes…I can remember so much! It was shown to Maria, who commented that it was “very good!”  When I left, Maria asked me, “Will you come back again?” I replied “Yes, yes!” The older children, after that, understood that I will also come with them and I wasn’t going to just disappear. Then slowly, other small kids started to come along to the studio with me. I still go to the studio, and there I draw, play on the piano or guitar, and help to prepare food sometimes. I love clowning and anything that has to do with music. I listen to music on headphones all the time. I really want to become a good guitar player, I sometimes look with envoy at those who can play really well on the guitar.

All the pictures which I have drawn I can’t begin list; I also have participated in a couple collaborative works/murals. Right now I am drawing for a great mural of elephants with many other kids. Maria has appointed me in charge of the design of this mural, that I keep track of all of the work. It’s hard, but one simply can’t just disappear to avoid work. Plus, it is pleasant to draw; it is interesting to feel how your imagination develops. I adore getting art lessons. When the teacher shows me the drums to draw, I take out a notebook and I make sketches. Then, these sketches I try to complete in studio. This is how my pictures just come to me. Also I adore when we, during our summer trip on the boat, stop to go draw nature on the river shore.

I cannot directly take from what I see and draw it exactly. It is very difficult for me and instead I try to always add something to reality. But in essence, I enjoy all the same trying drawing what I can see. In general, I like to draw animals, but even more I enjoy drawing landscapes. Little men I am able to draw somewhat. People’s portraits I have tried, but it is one of the most difficult things to do.  I really wish to learn and become good at doing them, however. I also want to learn to draw cartoons, but right now even that seems impossible.  I think in order to draw cartoons, you need to learn to draw portraits, and then distort them. I don’t want to be simply an artist, I want to be an animator. I don’t know if I will turn out to be one or not, considering it also is a very poorly paid profession. I also know that it takes a long time to develop cartoons, because I study them all the time and have seen so many comic books. 

I adore clowning, honestly, I just adore it! To play is my hobby. Amusing children is my hobby. I love it.  It is so pleasant. Wherever Maria takes us, there I go clowning. To boarding schools, children's homes, hospitals… sometimes even to a Baby House we are invited. I became a clown for the first time when I was eleven years old when we were on the ship called "Nikolai Chernishevsky".

The craziest case that I remember from being at the studio was when we were in a rest house in Lipki.  We were making macaroni, and it was necessary to bring the noodles to the table in another room. The macaroni were in a hot saucepan and I let go of the pan; suddenly, my reflexes worked and I fell to the floor and caught the saucepan before it touched the ground.  The macaroni miraculously did not fall out of the pan in the process, because I hooked my arm under the bottom of the pan.  If I hadn’t of caught the pan, everyone would have remained without a pasta dinner that we just spent a long time cooking.  Really, lots of silly things like that happened to me, but I just can’t remember them all. 

Why do children obey me? I guess because of love. No. I do not know. It is hard to tell. It is hard to tell why each child listens to me.