Ukrainian artist Roza-Svitlana Zadiraka: The main message of my art is support and my art studio is a place of strength

Roza-Svitlana Zadiraka is a Ukrainian artist specializing in art therapy and phototherapy, through which she helps people feel safe and awakens love for themselves. The main message of her art is support. When the full-scale war of Russia against Ukraine began, Svitlana, after two months of "stupor," started to act actively, as she realized that she could help people with her art here and now. Svitlana owns a very atmospheric studio in Odesa, which she calls her place of strength, and conducts her sessions there. Recently, the artist has expanded her artistic horizons and started creating jewelry. Svitlana shared with Drive Music Media about all the creative directions of her life, her studio in Odesa, her education, and the war.

Interviewer: You are an artist with many directions in the creative field... You have found yourself in phototherapy, art therapy, jewelry making, as well as illustrating shoppers and postcards. Let's start with your main field – fine art. Tell us, when did your passion for this field begin? What were your first steps?

Roza-Svitlana: I have been drawing since childhood, and I have always been fascinated by this creative process where you can take paints, pencils, markers, and create something interesting. In school, my art teacher said that I had no talent and shouldn't draw. But I saw how others were drawing, and my childlike understanding was enough for me not to devalue myself because I drew very well for my age. When I was already studying at my first institute, I went to the K.K. Kostandi Art School in Odesa, and that's where a new stage began. Then there was studying with renowned artists of Odesa and entering the art department. So, drawing has been with me since childhood, and my interest in it never faded.

Interviewer: Your first education is not at all related to creativity – you are a marine engineer. Tell us, how and why did you choose this specialty at the time? What did you like about this specialty, and did you work in this field?

Roza-Svitlana: Unfortunately, it wasn't me who chose this profession, but my father, because he believed it was a field where you could really make money (based on his experience, as he worked in this field all his life), and artists, in his opinion, were not a profession. My dad was a very authoritative figure for me at that time, so I didn't argue, although studying at the Odesa National Maritime University was difficult for me and didn't inspire me. But I graduated, got my specialist diploma, and went to work in my field.

Interviewer: Your second education is more related to creativity, as you have a pedagogical degree in decorative and applied arts. Tell us a bit about this aspect of your life.

Roza-Svitlana: I started working in my first profession, but after two years, I realized that the maritime field was not for me. So, I enrolled in the art and graphics faculty at the South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University named after K. D. Ushynsky. Those were the best years of my life because that was what I lacked when I studied at ONMU. Everything was great here: the teachers and my classmates. We were all on the same wavelength, so to speak, with a lot of creativity, joy, and inspiration. I studied there for 5 years and received my specialist diploma, but I continued working in my first profession and could only engage in creativity in my free time. This went on for 13 years until the war started, and I decided that I would no longer deceive myself and quit my job. It was my best decision because I freed up a lot of energy and directed it toward new creative processes and projects.

Interviewer: One of the directions you pursue in art is phototherapy, and the main task of your therapy is accepting one's body. Tell us more about phototherapy: how does the shooting process work, how do you help people accept themselves, and why did you choose this direction?

Roza-Svitlana: It all started in childhood when other kids called me names like skinny, broomstick, skeleton, and I developed a complex. Similar comments followed me into college, more in a friendly way, but I still perceived "skinny" negatively. I started hiding my body in shapeless and oversized clothing to appear larger than I was. Eventually, I joined a gym to build muscle, ate a lot, and trained for five years. I began to like my reflection in the mirror, but I still wore shapeless clothes and felt ashamed to show my body until I realized I was just mistreating myself. Going to the gym and eating five to six times a day felt like torture. It was then that I understood I was doing something to myself for someone else, not for me. I stopped, picked up a camera, and in desperation captured that moment, posting it on social media with a call to accept myself as I am and love the body I have because there won't be another. It was a nude shoot. I received responses from girls who shared they also struggled with self-acceptance. This became a turning point for me. I decided to explore my states through nude photography and invited girls to experiment with me. After a while, I invested in phototherapy training to deepen my knowledge and immerse myself more in these processes. Now, I work on request and only shoot artistic nudes. The shooting process itself turned out to be therapeutic not only for those who come to me but also for myself. Overall, I believe any creative process is healing. I don't have a higher psychological education, so I don't work with people who need specialist help. I'm an expert in inspiration, lightness, and joy of being. When I work with someone in phototherapy, it's more about the person being completely relaxed, no posing, just interacting with their body, feeling its vibrations, breathing. I ask them not to look at the frame and imagine I'm not there. There's no judgment of the person's actions or body. It's simply an experiment, a process, and the final result isn't the goal. The photos are just a byproduct of this process. This photography therapy helps a person see themselves from an outsider's perspective and draw conclusions about themselves, their state, their feelings. It releases tension in the body.

Interviewer: Phototherapy is not the only therapy you've chosen to pursue. Currently, you practice art therapy. What challenges do you set for yourself in this field, and what is the process of working with clients like? How does art therapy help, and how much time is required? How do you approach people?

Roza-Svitlana: Before I began studying the theory and practice of art therapy, I invented several "art plunges," as I called them. People who came to me for these art plunges gave powerful feedback on how it helped them. This inspired me to delve into psychology, specifically the field of art therapy, so I could help people understand themselves on a more professional level. However, I'll remind you, I'm not a psychologist, so I don't treat anyone. I can diagnose something and tell a person about it, provide consultation on certain issues, and if necessary, recommend seeing a psychologist for further work. I don't set challenges for myself because the creative process itself is important to me. Art therapy is a gentle method of immersion into the subconscious, helping to open the heart, reconnect with oneself, find answers, and improve well-being. Again, I work only by request. When someone comes into my sphere with a request, I choose an art therapy technique. I often use associative cards, and we work together. Some people think you need to know how to draw to practice art therapy, but that's not true. The main thing here is desire and the courage to try something new. During the process, creativity opens new horizons for the individual. Art therapy can be practiced as much as needed; it can be a single session or many – it depends on the person and their needs. I haven't had to figure out how to approach people yet. In any case, people come to me not just for art therapy but primarily because they've somehow resonated with me. Once they've chosen me, it's a match, meaning this person needed to come to me specifically to hear or discover something new about themselves through creativity together. It feels like magic each time. Additionally, as an artist who paints metaphorical paintings with meanings, I offer a type of art therapy known as "stream painting." It's not just painting; it's a transformative process where we create a stream painting that acts as a talisman, inspiring, giving light, joy, support, and resources to the person who paints it. When we consciously engage in the creative process, we literally become creators of our reality.

Interviewer: Your studio in Odesa has a very beautiful atmospheric feel. Could you tell me when and how you opened it? What did you feel at that moment?

Roza-Svitlana: Oh, thank you very much. I'm glad you think so. It's my place of strength (a well-used phrase, I know, but it's true) where I enjoy simply drinking tea, hosting guests, and painting. I created it before the war began, but I never thought it would become my workshop where I work and host guests. It was just a nice place where I spent time. However, the war changed everything, and now it's a studio that inspires both me and my guests – a place where we create beauty together. So, I'm grateful to myself for making this studio ahead of time, not knowing its purpose. Some might call it coincidence, but knowing my extraordinary ability for foresight, I know I do many things in life ahead of time without understanding why I'm doing them at the moment, and then it turns out timely and necessary, like with the studio.

Interviewer: How difficult is it to continue working under the conditions of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine? What helps you find the strength to create new paintings?

Roza-Svitlana: You know, the only thing that changed since the full-scale war began is my inner state. For the first two months of the war, I just sat and stared at the wall. Then, two months later, it was like a "Monday." I woke up and consciously decided to LIVE here and now and do what I can and must do here and now. So, it's simply a decision. As an artist, I just know what I do – my mission on this planet. As long as I'm alive, I'll do it and help others come to a conscious life through creativity. I don't need to search for strength to create; it just flows from me. If I can shine my art in the darkness, it's a flame no one can extinguish, not even war, because it's in the heart, and the heart never lies.

Interviewer: Not long ago, you fulfilled your dream and started creating jewelry. Can you tell me about the learning process: what's important in this endeavor and how is the process of creating jewelry conducted? What specifically do you do?

Roza-Svitlana: Before the war began, I made jewelry for myself. They were unique pieces crafted from various natural elements found in different places in our country and other countries. I also used vintage beads, which I disassembled and reimagined, thus giving old pieces new life. The first beads were my mom's, which were about 40 years old. Many people liked the jewelry I wore because they were unique and one-of-a-kind, which is very important to me. This is the main reason why I started doing it, because I wanted something that was uniquely mine. Over time, however, I realized that I had ideas that couldn't be realized without knowledge of jewelry making. So, I went to learn how to melt metal, work with stones, make wax models, and use a jeweler's saw on metal. Now, with this knowledge, I can create almost anything, but time is always in short supply (laughs). If only there were more than 24 hours in a day!

Interviewer: You illustrate postcards and tote bags. How did the idea come about to expand your professional activities into illustrating postcards and tote bags?

Roza-Svitlana: I paint pictures using various materials, and I also work digitally on a tablet, creating digital illustrations. Initially, I printed posters, but later I realized that I had so many digital works that I needed to come up with something new. The simplest solution was postcards. I liked this idea because it allows me to further popularize my art. Not everyone can afford to buy a painting, for example, but a postcard is more accessible. The story with tote bags is similar to postcards. I wear my tote bags myself and adore them because they are capacious, made of cotton, and adorned with my artwork. I'm my own biggest fan of my creations! I have many cool bags from my office days, but I can't remember the last time I used them because I'm with my tote bags 24/7. I choose a design based on my mood and go conquer the world!

Interviewer: What word would you like your art to be associated with by people? And how would you like people to feel after art and phototherapy sessions in your studio?

Roza-Svitlana: Interesting question, thank you. Hmm... I think the word I would like is "SUPPORT." Many words came to mind, but this is probably the main one. Because my artworks are messages for the people who view them. I don't create these paintings; it's energy flowing through my hands onto the canvas. The more open the heart, the purer the flow, and I work on this every day because I'm a conduit for this energy, these messages to people in the world. I'm already a happy person because people leave my studio feeling uplifted, inspired, and grateful. And as everyone knows, gratitude heals and opens hearts, which is of great value to me.

Photos were provided by Roza Svitlana Zadiraka