Yana Barabash – Crafting Beauty Through Layers of Art and Experience

From Odessa to the Isle of Wight, a Journey of Creativity and Resilience

Yana Barabash’s art masterfully blends cultural depth, emotional richness, and technical skill, offering a refreshing and captivating visual experience.

Yana Barabash, a talented artist originally from Odessa, has spent her life immersed in creativity, honing her artistic voice through diverse experiences and cultures. From a young age, Yana was drawn to art, and despite early doubts, her mother’s belief in her potential led her to study under inspiring teachers who reignited her passion. Over the years, her dedication to portraying people and capturing intricate landscapes has evolved into a unique artistic style that blends traditional techniques with modern influences. Now based on the Isle of Wight, Yana has found inspiration in the island’s serene landscapes and vibrant natural beauty, which feature prominently in her work.

Barabash’s paintings are multi-layered, both in technique and meaning, offering depth and detail that draw viewers in for a closer look. Her use of oil paints over acrylics adds texture and richness to her compositions, while her love for details creates dynamic pieces that reveal new facets with each glance. Her ability to balance traditional artistry with the modern convenience of digital sketching allows her to explore ideas freely before translating them onto canvas. Yana’s work is a testament to her artistic journey, blending her love for portraiture, landscapes, and the beauty of everyday life into visually compelling and emotionally resonant pieces.

How has your experience of moving to the Isle of Wight influenced your artistic style and the themes you explore in your paintings?

When I moved to the Isle of Wight, I was dealing with many life changes, including thoughts about the war, my child’s future, and my artistic career. The island provided a much-needed sense of peace and safety. I knew before arriving that it was a beautiful place, and I hoped the stunning landscapes would help distract me from the harsh realities of life. That’s exactly what happened—right from the first few days, I began to paint, and I believe that painting is what saved me from falling into a deep depression.

Before coming here, I had never painted so many seascapes, despite being born and raised in Odessa, a city by the sea. But Odessa is a big city with a population nearing a million, and its beaches are more developed, making it hard to find untouched nature.

Now, after almost three years of living on the island, I have so many plans to capture its beautiful hills, cottages, and sheep. The quiet, slow pace of island life gives me the time to reflect and find inspiration. I no longer feel rushed, and my life here is very measured.

If I ever want to immerse myself in culture, there’s nothing better than spending a couple of days in London. It’s a city that offers everything—exhibitions, museums, social connections, and my beloved Argentine tango, which I’ve been dancing for many years.

Can you describe your process of creating a multi-layered painting and how you decide which textures and details to incorporate?

A few years ago, I discovered a way to speed up my painting process. I’m a fan of oil painting, as I believe no other technique achieves the same depth and detail. But the major drawback of oil painting is the drying time of the layers. Now, I start with acrylics, often freely and in a watercolor style, getting as much done with acrylics as possible, and then finish the final details with oils. Acrylic also serves as an excellent base for oil paint. Back in my student days, we often coated the white canvas with beige or gray acrylic before starting to paint, as not everyone enjoys painting on pure white.

My painting is multi-layered because the more layers I apply, the more depth I achieve. I also can’t imagine my work without details. Since childhood, I’ve loved studying paintings, discovering new facets, which is what I now strive for in my own work.

What are some of the hidden gems on the Isle of Wight that have inspired your recent works, and how do you capture their essence in your art?

There are many hidden gems on the Isle of Wight that inspire me. I think the main thing I capture and want to showcase is the quintessential English vibe, which I, as a foreigner, feel is more pronounced for me. The old, beautiful walls, cottages, roses, moss, and lush greenery are things that always fascinated me in English films and series. The tides, moss-covered boulders, crabs, slopes, seagulls, and the new-to-me groins and trees growing right out of the water are all sources of inspiration. And who better than me to convey the incredible variety of greenery and textures, given my love for detail?

How do you balance the use of traditional techniques with modern technology, such as sketching on a tablet, in your creative process?

I travel a lot, which is a necessity for me. It refreshes my perspective and brings new discoveries. I used to take an easel and small canvases with me, but now I’ve realized that the main thing for me in traveling is to observe, see, and live. But when ideas arise, I sketch on my tablet, which is a fast and effective way to capture ideas, and sometimes even finish a piece. However, I always transfer my best ideas to canvas because there’s something special about creating something physical with my own hands, covered with my own fingers. It’s also a wonderful way to experiment with textures and try different color schemes for the same painting. It really speeds up my process.

Can you tell me more about your approach to life coaching and how it can help someone achieve their personal goals?

Life coaching is incredibly helpful, though in my case, my knowledge has come from experience. I believe it’s important to understand what brings us happiness and joy, both for ourselves and for others. The war has taught us to live in the moment, to appreciate what we have, to not dwell on small problems, and not to plan too far ahead. Oddly enough, we’ve learned to find joy in every day.

Just recently, I was back home in Odessa, and I was struck by how people were living—they were sitting in cafes, swimming in the sea, enjoying life to the fullest, and that’s the right approach. We can’t cry and grieve all the time.