Artists directory

Sasha

Shalmina

Disciplines: Painting

Location: Glasgow

Representational art, like a piece of music with lyrics, can arguably have only a finite amount of meaning and interpretation. Abstract art, on the other hand, is like music without lyrics; you can find something different within it every time you look. It has the ability to morph and change with the viewer over time, depending on their state of mind. My challenge is to paint the unseen — the shifting landscapes of feelings, memories, moods, thoughts, and ideas. My practice is rooted in emotion and atmosphere, creating spaces where feeling takes precedence over representation. Every painting begins with a strong emotion, sparked by a dream, a memory, music, or a realisation after meditation. I let the experience consume me and propel the work. I start intuitively, allowing the painting to emerge from my subconscious, then return with a rational mind to refine it once the emotion has passed. I work across both digital and traditional media, as each offers a different set of challenges. In digital painting, shape and precision come easily, yet colour is complex and technically demanding to print. In traditional painting working with colour is easier, but building up the structure is much more time consuming. Moving between the two allows me to explore the balance between control and spontaneity. My debut solo exhibition, shown as part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival [Glasgow, 2025] was formally recognised by Scottish Parliament through a Standard Motion acknowledging its artistic and social significance.

Previous Experience

[2025] Contemporary Collage Magazine Group Show | Indra Studios | London [2025] Glasgow Print Studio Christmas Show | GPS | Glasgow [2025] Six Foot Gallery Christmas Show | SFG | Glasgow [2025] Solo Show | New Glasgow Society | Glasgow [2024] Glasgow Print Studio Group Show | GPS | Glasgow [2023] Focus Art Fair | Carousel de Louvre | Paris [2022] First Art Fair | Passenger Terminal Gallery | Amsterdam [2021] Start Art Fair | Saatchi Gallery | London

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