Meet Faina Teplitskaya | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Faina Teplitskaya and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Faina, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I always had a creative bug in my DNA. Knitting, macrame, fashion design, 3D projects, you name it I have done or at least tried it. Making art was a source of real happiness for me from an early age. Therefore, to choose or not to choose was not a question. You might say the artistic path chose me! However, fast forward, my pursuit of happiness happened only later, much later in life, when I was able to dedicate myself to it full-time. And here I am, years and years of professional training and self-education later, thousand hours of YouTube screen staring, materials, supplies wasted or used for a good reason, still pursuing art.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a Russian-Ukrainian-American artist. Primarily, I am a painter working in an abstract expressionistic surrealistic style. My inspiration comes from the artists like Salvador Dali, Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, Pablo Picasso, and many others. I am also constantly exploring other mediums. Every time a new artistic adventure shows on the horizon, I explore it, that is until I discover something even more exciting. First, I learned how to work with metal, and the hammer became my favorite tool in classes. My jewelry artwork was presented in national magazines and sold throughout Dallas art galleries.
Participating in Austin Fashion Week as a jewelry designer was one of the most memorable events of my life. I have studied Graphic Design at Southern Methodist University and have a list of digital art and brand identity projects completed for several companies.
Now I am diving into painting, ceramics, and sculpture at Brookhaven School of the Arts. My passion for art is unstoppable. Holding a B.A. in Music Education and teaching in various academic institutions during my previous career I understand the values of learning. All the artforms I am studying, thinking about, developing, living within, experimenting with have contributed to making me a versatile artist with her own style.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Dallas is known for its sports so I would definitely recommend catching a game at the American Airlines Center. There are many great outdoor places like Klyde Warren Park. Eat at the park and visit two adjacent museums – the Dallas Museum of Art with its expansive layout and Nasher Sculpture Garden with the thought-provoking collections. Finish the day at the rooftop bar at The Statler – downtown with the views of skyscrapers and a great spot for people watching

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I “blame” my artistic success on many folks. First, it was the encouragement from my mother, an English teacher in Russia with impeccable taste and a sense of style. The motto “learn and create” I inherited from her. Jumping to more recent times, my children are my biggest fans and cheerleaders. Every artist needed an audience. Creating for yourself in a vacuum is fine for a while. You and yourself admire the artwork you created. But there is no one to tell you whether a particular piece should be sold for auction at Sotheby’s or forever stored under the bed. So, after a while, you need an audience. My daughter and son are that crowd and first responders, my jurors, testers, admirers, business companions, and voice of criticism. My art story is their story too.

Website: artistfaina.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artistfaina/

Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/artistandpuppy