Your weaknesses are also your strengths. As a way to control my turbulent life as an immigrant child, I turned inward and created a world of my own with my imagination. What felt like a weakness, ended up fueling a life full of wonder and whimsy far beyond my own wildest dreams.
As a part of our series about “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became An Artist” I had the pleasure of interviewing Faina Lorah.
Faina Lorah is a Cincinnati-based author and illustrator who uses storytelling and art to create a world of whimsy. She is best known for her traditional folk art and surreal oil paintings, which have earned her numerous awards. In 2017, Faina made her literary debut with Vasilisa’s Russian Fairy Tales, and shortly after that, she released a companion fairy tale coloring book, Curious Creatures of Russian Folklore. Faina went on to publish Wild Whiskers, a best-selling oracle deck featuring 40 hand-painted spirit animals. Her latest book, Krampus and Other Yuletide Tales, combines a collection of curated winter tales and over 60 hauntingly beautiful watercolor illustrations.
Thank you so much for doing this with us!Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
I grew up as a first generation immigrant. That meant that as a child, I often had to navigate a whole new culture while still figuring out my own identity. Because my parents were worried about me being able to fit in, they encouraged me to learn the language and culture of our new country, the United States. However, I lost my ability to speak my native tongue over the years and I had a hard time connecting with my own cultural heritage. As an adult, I made it my personal mission to rediscover that rich history, including all of its folklore and art.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
I grew up loving the arts, both writing and painting as well as other forms of expression — I even attended an arts magnet school. As I started rediscovering my heritage, I researched folklore and fairy tales from my home country. I became particularly interested in Slavic paganism as it was interwoven into those tales. It led me down the path of creating artwork that celebrated both traditional folk art as well ancestral spirits. Today, my work is a blend of the many stories, cultures, and experiences I’ve enjoyed through my artistic journey.
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
After spending several years researching Slavic folklore, I was inspired to create my own collection of famous fairy tales which were first told to me during my childhood years in Russia. When I first began working on writing and illustrating that book, there seemed to be a lack of accurately translated Slavic fairy tales in the English language. Most were literal word-for-word translations but that they were often difficult to connect with, especially since these were stories passed through the generations with an oral tradition. They needed to be conversational and relatable to the audiences of our time. My approach was to write something for the new generation that still told the old tales in a captivating and interesting way.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
Recently, I created a collection of oil paintings inspired by the runes and Goddesses from Norse mythology. I was interested in exploring a new area of lore that seemed fascinating to me. I felt inspired to interpret my findings into a collection of artwork that celebrated femininity through a fresh perspective, which is often overlooked in Norse mythology. The result was the Weird Weavings Collection, a series of 25 oil paintings that capture folklore, animal, and fauna to share timeless stories in a new, interconnected way.
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
The most influential person in my life has been Angela Pozzi, a renowned sculptor, who was generous enough with her time to mentor me through an apprenticeship when I was embarking on my arts career. Pozzi creates large sculptures from everyday waste that are a sight to behold — those works are admired all over the world and even had a special exhibition at the Smithsonian Ocean museum. We worked together on creating a massive bioluminescent sea cave installation, which is on display today at her Art 101 gallery.
Where do you draw inspiration from? Can you share a story about that?
I was inspired to create art and tell stories by the illustrations that I saw in children’s books from as far back as I can remember. Children’s art often has a stigma attached, as if the work contained didn’t have the same level of complexity and technical skills required of other works, but I think it is a misrepresentation. I am still intrigued by the work of illustrators such as Arthur Rackham, Aubrey Beardsley, and Edmund Dulac — they all created timeless works of art for “children’s stories,” but their unique talents helped refine other important movements such as art nouveau. These artists influenced the style that I currently use in my own artwork. I hope that, in turn, my work can help inspire the next generation of artists — and it might very well begin with the children who are reading folklore today.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
Part of my effort in creating work fostered by my Slavic heritage has been to share my unique perspective as a first generation immigrant. Growing up, I felt that I was losing a part of myself as I was shifting from one culture to another. Instead, I found that this shift became a bridge to share insight and artwork between two different worlds. I’ve been fortunate to hear from fans all over the world who have reconnected with their respective cultural heritages as a result. It’s an honor to be able to create work that helps others find themselves.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?
1 . Your weaknesses are also your strengths. As a way to control my turbulent life as an immigrant child, I turned inward and created a world of my own with my imagination. What felt like a weakness, ended up fueling a life full of wonder and whimsy far beyond my own wildest dreams.
2 . Past experiences are a powerful source of inspiration. I had to look back into what I left behind in my home country and explore that space deeply to find the art that I felt needed to be shared with the world in my own unique way.
3 . Curiosity fuels creativity. Anytime I have ever felt lost on my creative journey, I have actually realized that I was standing still too long and getting too comfortable. Curiosity has been at the root of every project that I have made. Whenever I feel uninspired, I find something new to research and it eventually leads to a new perspective that I can express.
4 . Your art has an unpredictable impact on others. I have heard from people struggling in life that found hope in my artwork in ways that I could not have even imagined. When I created my art, it helped me process my own feelings, and the results have often resonated with people in very unexpected ways.
5 . Create what you wish existed in the world. Oftentimes I am inspired to create projects with an angle that has not been explored thoroughly. Through my own research, I find gaps in spaces that feel like they need more art and expression. I enjoy creating work that fits into those narrow spaces.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I am endlessly interested in the intersection of multiple cultures blending together and sharing experiences. If there is anything that I can inspire, it is more work that helps people learn from each other and embrace differences in a positive way. In my opinion, our unique perspectives can do more good when they are working together rather than opposing each other.
We have been blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she just might see this.
While I don’t necessarily care about big names, I care about big hearts! I am often interested in meeting and talking to fans of my work who have been impacted by it in unique ways. When it comes to my work, they are the people who I hold most dear.
What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?
Find me on facebook, instagram, and twitter @fainalorah
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.
Faina Lorah: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became An Artist was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.