Gaining A Higher Profile
We all have different journeys in life and in art, but for most of us that feel the ever-present need to create, we have all spent some of our downtime trying to figure out how to do what we do, and create what we create, for a living. Artsy Scoop recently discovered a talented artist with a wonderful story, who has figured out how to do just that.
Evgeny Potapkin charted his path to being a full-time artist after originally holding down a ‘regular job’ as an engineer & designer. The transition from ‘painting as a hobby’ to professional artist did not happen instantaneously, of course, and along the way, he found inspiration in other artists who paved the way before him.
Evgeny says that he was deeply influenced by a video he watched by artist Heather Rooney. Her video didn’t simply show her finished work, it showed the process of her work, the result of which was a beautiful, colored pencil drawn portrait. As someone who loves to teach and share almost as much as he loves to paint, this was a revelation that launched him down a road that has seen his influence grow tremendously over time.
When Evgeny decided to create his own artwork inspired by Heather’s videos, most of which are created in 30 minutes or less, he started sharing Reels on Instagram. Watch a few, and the thing that you will immediately recognize is that Potapkin creates his work with minimal brushstrokes, and yet there is a careful consideration to each one. Somehow, he manages to skillfully express the personality of each subject that he captures.
Beyond Instagram, his YouTube channel also has many tutorials that you can watch and learn from. The ones that feature his paintings made with colored pencils and oil are incredibly fascinating (even if I don’t always understand his narrative language, Russian). Painting, of course, is a universal language, and with the ability to pause, rewind, and rewatch as many times as you want, a verbal explanation isn’t always necessary anyway.
Evgeny says that he tries “to convey the emotion and energy that is inside me. Each face is incredibly beautiful and mysterious. My mission is to show the Divine beauty of each person in my paintings, to share this beauty with people and inspire them.”
In addition to the physical works, many of Evgeny’s paintings are available as NFT’s on Open Sea. Beyond his raw talent, I’m equally impressed by the knowledge that Potapkin has about the myriad tools that are available to contemporary artists; tools that can help them grow their audience, show their work, and of course, sell it to a global marketplace. His ability to share and teach painting lessons with such ease makes my appreciation of him and his work even greater, as this is a side of the art business that can be extremely intimidating to more introverted creators.
One thing is certain, Evgeny Potapkin looks to have a firm handle on his current and future success as a full-time artist. Congrats @Evgeny_JackPot and thank you for allowing us to tell your story! #CheersToArt
SMILE - images shared with permission
Article: Mouty Shackelford
