Karina Mosser – Art Educator and M Expresse Artist from Russia living in USA, Karina holds a degree in education and art studies from Moscow University.
“Life is art, art is life. I never separate it”- Al Weiwei
This captures the way I see the importance of art. I grew up in Moscow, Russia, surrounded by the beauty of its history and art. The educational system there is very different from in the US, where I live now. We did not get to choose our classes, had to study what was recommended by professors. We were put through years of studying techniques of old masters with mandatory trips to Moscow’s premier museums. The history, and art history, was taught chronologically, so that students could have clear understanding about how art styles were evolving. This is very different from the US approach, which I observed during years of my teaching career, but the Russian system had definite benefits for the long-term development of an artist. Lots of hard work on the fundamentals at the beginning pays off in the long term. Art brings a lot of joy, but it requires effort if you want to do it right.
As an artist myself, I do experiment a lot, because this is the only way to be creative and produce something different, but I am always looking at the works of famous artists to improve my style. I have taught students of all ages and background throughout my career, and I always encourage people to find balance between rules and experimentation. In recent years I was involved in accommodating corporate, team building events, and it really warms my heart to see people with no experience discover their creative side.
As for my own artwork, I believe that I have found my unique style, but I am still focused on improving the technique.
Written by Karina Mosser
