MEET THE ARTIST
Name: Olga (AhNinniah)
Gender: female
Age: 36 (1988)
From: Russia
Personality type (MBTI): INFJ (Advocate)
Occupation: Independent artist, ESL teacher
Describe yourself:
I’m open minded, empathic, idealistic, caring, creative, and insightful. I’m passionate about what matters to me, sensitive to others’ emotions, decisive and encouraging to those around me. I’m deeply affected by criticism so I try to protect myself and avoid it.
Describe your art:
I specialize in cartoon style, vector-based digital art. I'm drawn to symbolism in my personal works and find that it can add depth and meaning to my pieces.
Education:
I hold a Bachelor's degree in teaching English as a foreign second language. Recently I’ve also earned a 250 hours TEFL-TESOL certificate, making me officially qualified to teach English abroad.
Digital drawing:
I'm fully self-taught in my digital drawing skills. I have never attended any art schools, and the drawing lessons at my public school were very mediocre. I started my journey with the open-source vector program, Inkscape. As I found it easier to manipulate my drawings, than use a freehand raster software.
I've enjoyed writing tutorials to share my insights and help others with their artistic journeys. Now I plan to expand my techniques and explore some traditional drawing with live materials to bring my ideas to life.
Your thoughts about AI technology:
I believe AI technology can be a useful tool for helping or assisting in tasks. It can save a significant amount of time, especially in drafting emails, posts or creating lesson plans. However, I do not appreciate the use of AI for commercial purposes as I feel it lacks the personal touch.
Your favorite video games:
I used to be a big fan of Left 4 Dead, Binding of Isaac, Dark Souls, Hollow knight, Silent Hill series. I still really like Dishonored and Deus Ex: Human Revolution for the settings that are visually and aurally pleasing. However, I am now more into relaxed gaming, as the difficulties in real life are enough for me. That’s why I don’t mind using trainers, even though it ruins the designed experience.
I'm also a fan of indie games with interesting concepts, ideas or styles, especially those that leave a strong impression.
Your interests:
I am interested in game development, Asian culture, meaningful art, art therapу, helping others, maintaining healthy habits, and achieving spiritual enlightenment.
Your Hobbies:
I like working out at home, as it helps me to deal with anxiety and overthinking. I have a variety of workout equipment, including mini trampoline, barre bar, a set of dumbbells, a treadmill, a stationary bike and others. My favorite workout programs are from Beachbody (or BODi).
Gaming is also a part of my fitness routine, as I play Just Dance, Fitness Boxing, and Fitness Circuit for Nintendo Switch.
What experiences have you had in your life so far?
I recorded my voice in a sound recording studio, played a main role at a school role-play, and struggled but spoke at a big audience as a speaker more than three times. I traveled alone to different cities and countries, worked in China as an English teacher, and held various jobs, including game translator, team artlead, saleswoman, medical worker, Twitch game streamer, and game journalist. I was among the winners of a big fan art competition. I faced bitter pills of bullying at school and a divorce, but eventually found peace, balance, and harmony with myself.
Any challenges you have faced?
I’ve experienced a serious burn out and an artistic block for the last 3-4 years. Now, I’m trying to ease my way back into my creative workflow at my own pace.
I associate myself with ADHD and Asperger's syndrome, though I haven't received any official diagnoses. I have learned to cope with life from this perspective, in addition to other methods. I value inclusivity, as long as it's thoughtful and avoids discrimination and diminishment of others.
As for my creative process, I really struggle with the new Inkscape interface. It feels like it was more intuitive earlier. Ha-ha.
Your values:
I prioritize living a balanced life and staying true to myself by creating something useful for others.
And of course, loving the things you do is crucial for your happiness.
Your goals:
Find a stable environment for a creative flow.
Artistic goals and aspirations:
To learn Blender and maybe some game engine with a low entry threshold.
My latest book:
“Keepers of the Garden” by Dolores Cannon
My latest game:
“Morningstar: Descent to Deadrock”.
My latest movie:
Angel Heart (1987) 18+
Links: