Anna Maly

Anna Maly
laanni35@gmail.com
www.anna-maly.com

Anna Maly was born and raised in Moscow, Russia under a regime that insisted all be alike, sing the same songs, wear the same school uniform, and buy the same furniture….To be unique, to stand out and to express oneself was not allowed. Suppressing one's artistic abilities was common. Talented artists were often reduced to painting portraits of the Leaders and various Communist party or war heroism scenes. In these conditions Anna lost all the interest she’d had in art. When she moved to the US she was happy to be able to spread her wings and begin to share her art again.

“How important do you think it is to have a real passion in life? I mean the kind of passion that consumes you completely - an obsession around which your entire life revolves.

Let's take a look at a piano player, who since becoming famous as a child prodigy at age 8 has been playing ever since. His childhood was sacrificed to music and his life has been spent in absolute dedication to the piano - practicing, learning new works, studying new composers, playing concerts and recording sessions. He works with a new conductor, rehearses with yet another orchestra; gets an introduction to some more brilliant people and garners the admiration of very appreciative audiences. How marvelous it all sounds. What a fascinating life? Some would be jealous - but not me!

I would rather have my life. It’s not so brilliant, not so scheduled, not so decides, not so settled. No deep passions, no obsessions of any kind, just a continuous search and discovery. I have never stayed glued to only one interest for a long time. No matter how captivating it may seem to do nothing else but one thing, and build my life around it, base my life on it, make it my life, I would consider it narrow. The horizons are to be widened, not narrowed. I keep mine wide open.

My inspiration is in limited resources. One would think that for somebody who comes from a limited resources background (Russia), unlimited anything would be more desirable. For some odd reason limiting myself brings out the best of the artist in me. When I work with digital images I start with a simple shot. Composition is a key; exposure and aperture do not matter much. Unlike many artists who work with digital media, and use the best Photoshop has to offer, I impose strict limitations on my work: I only work with one layer, no cutting, no pasting. What I shot is what I have.

Realistic images are simple and leave little room for interpretation. If you look at a photograph, or a painting which looks like one, you can certainly feel the mood of the image, you can admire the composition, colors; you can even think of a story behind it. Yet since the image is clear and is so life-like, you have no room for guessing what it may mean. It’s like watching a movie vs. reading a book. That’s why I am so interested in conveying the message in a more abstract form.

As for the pencil drawings, well… here I have a different approach. I look for ways to mesmerize one’s eye, and puzzle one’s mind. There you will see impossible folds, or drawings where every figure is weaved with one continuous line, or find hidden images dissolved in a mosaic of colors. I strive to create an image you can gaze upon in a moment of reflection; an image that will allow you to find new detail every time you look at it; easy to concentrate on while gathering your thoughts, and yet easy on the eye for times of rest. So, open your eyes and mind and enjoy what I call Accelerated Reality.

* None of the artworks may be copied or reproduced without the written permission of the Artist