Heavy Footprint
New Zealand’s Nick Fedaeff wants to leave his emphatic footprint on the art scene.
Like any creative person, this New Zealand artist wants to leave a footprint on the art scene. He also wants to do his special part to keep the popularity of art at a high level.
Nick Fedaeff was born in Russia in 1965. He moved to New Zealand in 1996. This man lives in Auckland and works as a fulltime artist. His studio is ten kilometres from his home.
As a youngster, Nick studied music at school, and he thought he would become a professional musician; but after completing school he studied Technology at university.
“Music was my hobby. I played in a rock band with my friends,” he reveals. “I also used to go to an evening art school, but I didn’t finish it. In 1996, I studied at an Audio Engineering school and got a diploma as a Multimedia Producer. My circle of friends has always included lots of artists – and I have been doodling away since I was little. My decision to become an artist was not incredibly sudden. I had been influenced by friends and family and I have always been in an ‘arty’ environment.”
This artist is passionate about the process of making a painting. It begins as nothing and he puts a bit of himself into it. Then someone buys it, and it becomes a part of them … they make their own history with the painting
which is very different from the history it inherited from its creator.
“When I was younger, I liked surrealism and very bold, action paintings,” Nick says. “Now I like more minimalistic paintings, and less ‘things’ on the paintings. I do not paint abstract but I enjoy looking at other artists’ abstract paintings.”
In Russia in Tomsk, when he was a student, Nick Fedaeff was invited in 1988 to participate in an exhibition called ‘Non Conformist Art’. It was one of the first exhibitions of independent artists before the Soviet Union collapsed; but since then (until 2004) he didn’t paint. Instead, he was involved in his music career.
Now he is a professional artist with more than six years of experience.
“I’m using acrylics and oils now; I call my style ‘quite traditional’,” he relates. “I occasionally experiment, but I do not go too far from traditional work.”
“I like to paint figures and characters in different situations. Sometimes I place my characters in mysterious or surrealistic situations. I use the method called ‘Paradox’, when something does
not exist in real life. For example, in one of my paintings, people are swimming in the ocean; yet the fish are flying in the sky! I can see these things mostly in dreams.”
Nick loves to exhibit his work and participate in art shows and competitions. There are many people who follow his art, on his website and in his studio, but he also participates in major art shows like Art Sydney and Art Melbourne. He tries to do solo exhibitions at least once each year to display his new ideas.
“I’ve never had problems with ideas, as I have always been an artistic person, even as a musician,” he maintains. “I try do doodle in the car or bus, and then go through my sketches. I develop the sketches … and sometimes the process of doodle to painting takes three years – with all the modifications. My dreams have always been a major source of my inspiration.”
“I always feel my major piece has yet to be produced,” he continues. “That is why I do not regularly enter my work in art competitions. I would prefer to win rather than just participate.”
Bad things seem to happen to most creative people occasionally – and Nick Fedaeff is no exception.
“In 1989, my whole exhibition was stolen,” he says.
“To me, this seemed like a sign … which was why I stopped painting until quite recently.”
Normally this artist’s paintings sell from the day they are advertised, until the end of the year. If a painting is not sold during the year, he keeps it. So far his personal collection holds 12 paintings.
“I sell to collectors from about 20 countries, around the globe. My agents in Germany move most of my small paintings and drawings.
They sell them in Austria, Switzerland and Germany,” he affirms. “I use a few galleries in Australia and New Zealand. They sell my large work. I also participate in art shows which host big crowds.”
Nick likes contemporary Chinese and Japanese artists, but he has no favourites. From the Old Masters he likes Herenemous, Bosh and Modigliani.
He does not usually teach art, but he enjoys doing so. He has been invited to teach at an art camp in Whangarei, Auckland, during 2010 … seven days in a hippy-like environment. He will be attending as an international artist. He is looking forward to the whole atmosphere as he has never done anything like it before.
“I have always been a musician. Composing and music playing has helped me with the art process,” he claims. “To be an artist is to be creative. I have been a musician and a performer; now I am an artist. I do not know what I will become next … I may try sculpturing or singing.”
Nick advises developing artists to be original – but also to practice and copy the Old Masters.
“Salvador Dali used to say this … and I agree with his wise suggestions,” he asserts.
“Like any creative person, I want to leave a footprint in the art scene,” he concludes. “I want my kids to be proud of me. And I want to keep the popularity of art at a high level.”