We are happy to present the next in the series of artist interviews  here on Pixels At An Exhibition. Natali Prosvetova is new to Pixels, our first artist from Moscow, and she sent in such a large batch of self-portraits that I could not see a way to realistically stagger them over a couple of days as I have done for other artists at times. So I decided to just make a gallery from them. She had been emailing in pictures with funny notes (her iPhone 2G won’t run PixelEx apparently), so I asked if she would answer some questions to go with the gallery. She said yes. So …. with no further ado … meet Natali.

(As an aside, I can think of five other women and a number of male artists who have joined the community recently, so I think I’m going to have to begin doing weekly interviews – I am falling too far behind. Too much talent here! Coming up very soon: June Featured Artist Roger Guetta with a multi-media interview.)

KB: Please tell us a little about yourself – where you  live, if you hail  from Earth, anything like that. Whatever you feel  like sharing that  isn’t covered in the questions below.

NP: Long, long time ago Earth was full of strange and very creative species. Some of them are still inhabit this planet, hiding from crowd in the secret places, so they are very difficult to find. Some say they came from NaProsvet planet, the others — that they evolved from dolphins. We only know two things for sure — they love ginger and they love to shoot iphoneography.

KB: How long have you been shooting pictures with your iPhone?

NP: I have actually started to shoot pictures with my iPhone quite recently. I suppose in February this year, or so =)

KB: How often do you work on your art?

NP: 24х7, like a modern supermarket. Actually as soon as I have such an opportunity … and if I have no opportunity, I can change my general plans ;) Really, it is like the dependence.. But I love it so much! It makes my day, it makes me little bit more happy=)

KB: How did you discover apps?

NP: Sometimes I just install apps trying my luck. Honestly, some apps i’ve installed i din’t like very much and was not delighted by their functionality but this is the only way to be in the subject =)

KB: When did you get serious about it, and what was the turning point for you?

NP: Well, this question is a very good question…  I asked it myself  so often… but only now I found the answer.
One day my life began to crumble on my eyes and I could do nothing with it… I mean my work and personal life, and everything else)
I was looking for different ways, but all doors were closing in front of me …
well, I made a lot of mistakes, have tried to enter into the same water twice … It lasted for a long time …
until I did not understand that I need  to look for happiness in small things!
I don’t paint pictures and I have never learned the fine arts, besides I have never learned the art of photography. So, from small time killing habit iphoneography had became my addiction which almost changed my life.
with pictures you can say so many things to different people in one language, which everyone can understand!

KB: What do you like to shoot? When? How does your whole creative process work? And how has it evolved?

NP: Where do I begin :) I like to shoot everything, starting from myself to everything inspiring i see around. I try to put meaning in almost every picture i shoot.

Sometimes i try the things. But generally I have a scenario in my mind and try to recreate what i have in my head within the picture.

When I was starting I usually used one program for the job, now I can process one image in 5 or 10 apps to get the final result.

KB: Do you work in any other creative mediums, i.e., painting, music, writing, etc.?

NP: I am the actress but now I appreciated a new creative outlet. I have accustomed to be on the other side of the camera and iPhoneography expanded my frames and showed me other opportunities. It became the beginning of my new path and now this is part of my life.

KB: Do you spend time online looking at the work of other   iphoneographic artists?

NP: Sure I do.

KB: Do you study other art forms?

NP: Common photography.

KB: Have you done a lot of traditional photography? If so,  are you still using your camera as well as your iPhone?

NP: I’ve looked into traditional photography immediately after i’ve discovered fascinating world of iphoneography :-)

KB: Where do you stand on the “Is iPhoneography photography or a whole new medium” debate?

NP: I will answer with the allegory – tomato and cucumber both are vegetables, but tomatoes are tomatoes and cucumbers are cucumbers, have you got it? :-)

KB: Who are some artists – in any medium – you admire or have influenced you?

NP: Can you specify where do I look for the answer? [Editor’s note: Everywhere!]

KB: What is your basic app kit, or Camera Bag, as Marty Yawnick calls it. How has your use of apps evolved over time?

NP: I shoot pics with Hipstamatic and then i process images with Camera+, iDarkroom, Fotolr PSD, Juxtaposer, Infinicam, PhotoStudio, LensFlare, ToonPAINT, Lo-Mob, iWatermark, TiltShiftFocus, PhotoWizard, SketchMee, Diptic, PerfectPhoto, etc.

KB: Are there any apps you don’t like?

NP: There are some apps I don’t like but that doesn’t mean they are bad. Maybe I just don’t know the right way to use them. :) Besides, I like to talk about positive things more. :)

KB: Are there any specific improvements you would like to see made to existing apps?

NP: I can’t think of anything particular now, but of course there are some improvements could be made to make some apps even better. We can discuss that separately if you wish.

KB: Are there any apps you would like to see  developed/invented?

NP: The app which definitely make genius pictures, but otherwise the life would become boring then, wouldn’t it?

KB: When you feel you have reached a creative stalemate,  and believe your work is not cutting it anymore, do you have any tricks for breaking out of artist’s block?

NP: Sometimes I find inspirations in creativity of other artists. Admiring envy can make amazing things to happen.

KB: What features would you like to see implemented at the Pixels website?

NP: I am a newcomer and still have to get acquainted with Pixels. I definitely would be able to think of some within half a year or so.

KB: A last word perhaps?

NP: Thank you guys for the great job. It is great to be able to share my hobby with somebody and to find so many people interested in the same thing I do.

KB: Thank you, Natali. Welcome to Pixels.

You can see Natalis’s striking contributions to Pixels: The Art Of The iPhone by clicking here.