Her characters are cute and touching, a bit strange and charming. That is, because the artist Alina Dalinina ensures a kinder world. Of course, this is a difficult task but it is sure to happen, because her life has been changed.

“This is not just a house, not a studio. (ed. N.. – 9, Lermontov Str.) This is a historical place. Once I did not know that it was Chaudoir’s house, an artist and philanthropist who lived in the house with workers and the gate is an entrance to the estate. While we were looking for a room as the studio, we’ve been searching for a place somewhere in the center. But when I got into the house first, then the atmosphere has taken me, the first year almost did not come out of here – I wanted to create. Of course, in the beginning it was abandoned, devastated debris. We definitely took five cars to move junk from there, I’ve also put bricks here, and masters did only global operations. A prisoner of the atmosphere was not only me: all who came to paint here say it”.
“I worked as a lawyer at the bank, even in difficult version of it: accounts payable – helped return the bank debts. I was very tired, wanted to move away from routine and start with something more creative. I wanted to paint, but I faced the fact that no adult in Zhytomyr has where to go and learn to draw. Not an art school with the children, but for adults to master the technique quickly. I found a painter Igor Sakharov, who is the author of teaching methods. He gave master classes in Kiev. When we arrived at one session, I realized that this is my passion. Once my life has radically changed. From Sakharov I got full confidence in what I want to do, that I want to open studio in Zhytomyr. I told this my husband”
“It’s a complete thrill when an adult or a child comes and immersed in a completely different world. And once you see the results! It’s so cool! In fact, we just think we do not know how. We can draw, sometimes there’s just a lack of information, some techniques. When you show, everything is elementary, everything works”
“Drawing is my favorite thing. Earlier I never considered painting as business projects, but for the soul. But when I got the first students who said that I am able to explain and show, I realized it was mine. I was already thirty when I decided to change everything. Parents said, “Lawyer is a good job, realized with salary. However, here is no confidence.” But God always helps people searching for their purpose”
“I’m not a religious person, but believing. I believe in a higher power that leads all of us in life”
“When you sit and draw with a person face-to-face, we’re talking about different things. One friend told me that our way of life – this is what we do every day. I believed that I spent thirteen years for wrong things, I have been away from my path. Thanks God I came to drawing. Never mind that you have no vocational training, but you should have a great desire and understanding that is truly yours. Now when I paint in the morning till the next morning, I’m happy”
“Man’s consciousness changes with time. When you understand that already reached a certain level, you can give something that people want, to have time and a place to share it all. I want to help those who need it. Drawing – a therapy, maybe not in the classical sense, when your problems are depicted on the sheet. Here is a little difference: we paint the pictures from copies. But in the process you absolutely turn off of life, you’re leaving your problems, “calming down” your consciousness. I have a lot of people saying that this is treatment, including psychological problems. You are transformed in better condition, relax and understand important things. Do you want to just get away, or change the scope of activities at least for some time – please, you’re welcomed”
“The main categories of my visitors are women who paint for themselves. There are also mothers who are interested for child to be developed. I now have group lessons. And it’s cool because the kids are in the group, where they are six or seven others, which is more interesting. They do not need therapy, but creativity, development, communication. They have other tasks and interests. In children’s groups there is such a crazy potential and energy! Especially it’s hard for boys to be in one place. But when you need to draw, they do it with pleasure and are much focused”
“I feel tremendous support from my husband. I started doing art because he engaged me in it. At some point, when I was on maternity leave and was looking whre to put much energy, he gave me paints and easel. All this stood for a long time; it seemed that oil painting requires a high level. He then paid me a master class of Sakharov, which is very expensive. I would assume, as most women I’d regret, but he paid for it and sent me. Then these workshops were only in Moscow but my child was not even one year old. The man was even ready to stay with the child and said: “We must follow his dream. Want to learn – learn.” And then the mountain came to Mohammed, Sakharov came with workshops in Kyiv. My husband – this is my engine, my support”
“My husband and I met at work. Personal relationships with customers of the bank were not very appropriate, but he was persistent. And thanks God! Now I do think that for many years I studied for a lawyer, worked for thirteen years in a bank only in order to find him. Just needed a place where I was to meet him, for our beautiful children to be born. Without him I would not be able to do it all”
“My parents did not relate to the art: my father is a retired colonel, and my mother is a teacher from top to toe and extremely severe. She was once my class teacher. It’a usual for parents when you’re in the system, there is salary, and you work for someone else. It is clearer than “free artist”. Anyway, they help. Dad even now screws twists in the studio”
“For me today Eugenia Gapchinska is an idol, I started from her my own way. Although “naive art” – a commercial version, but through this area I can express myself. Through children’s naive style it is easier to convey kindness. Nowadays, it is not enough of kindness and charm. People are unhappy and angry, and with “naive art” it’s easier to convey good message. I am looking in other directions, but this is the nearest and plainest for me. I also really like the work of Georgian painter Nino Chakvetadze. She has such beautiful works: gamma interesting, muted colors, moving images. We often take her works as a model for master classes. Moreover, I like meters worldwide – Klimdt, Modigliani, and Van Gogh. This is not realism, it’s own style, which is absolutely unique and recognizable»
“Nowadays, there are different types of popular art, you can detect this and feel. It is so important – to do something yourself, for example, paint a picture”
“The most important thing in life is love. Everything you do is motivated and detected by love, or its search. This can manifest in love to children, husband, parents, love to life or things that you do. Nothing motivates like loving what you do. The financial component occurs simultaneously, you can receive a profit, and when it is done with loveit appears as it happens, without any tricks or attempts: favorite activities brings finances as well”
“I dream of becoming a famous artist, and not ashamed. I have big ambitions. I also want to be known not just as I am contributed to the art. I am very interested in the question, whether it can be achieved without special education. Many artists I asked about it, the answer is different. Someone says that no gallery will exhibit the artist who has no education or membership in the Union of Artists. There is another opinion: the artists that have more modern views believe that nothing is impossible. For me it is a challenge: can I overcome obstacles, if I have no art education? I’m just an amateur who wants to draw and draws. I’m not used to giving up and I’m ready to go to the dream: lean and go”
Translated by Aliona Matushevich