{"id":4534,"date":"2018-01-07T00:01:20","date_gmt":"2018-01-07T06:01:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=4534"},"modified":"2018-01-06T16:30:55","modified_gmt":"2018-01-06T22:30:55","slug":"7-imps-7-kicks-568-featuringup-and-coming-illustrator-deena-sooteh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=4534","title":{"rendered":"7-Imp\u2019s 7 Kicks #568: Featuring
Up-and-Coming Illustrator, Deena So’Oteh"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n
 

\nIt’s the first Sunday of the month, dear Imps, which means I like to turn 7-Imp over to an illustration student. Today, I have Deena So’Oteh<\/a><\/strong>, who is originally from Russia and is a student at the School of Visual Arts<\/strong><\/a> in New York City. <\/p>\n

Deena shares many pieces of artwork today and tells us a bit about herself. Let’s get to it. I thank her for visiting. <\/p>\n


\n
 

\nDeena<\/font><\/strong>: I am currently earning my MFA degree in illustration at SVA. Although I come from a fine arts background, I chose illustration, as it combines a few things that I love \u2014 reading books and problem-solving. To me it is also art with a purpose beyond just self-expression. Going in to the program, I was not sure which niche I could fit into and struggled with identifying myself as an illustrator. Things turned for me this past summer when I was fortunate enough to teacher-assist a Summer Illustration Residency at SVA. Being exposed to narrative storytelling through comics by Andrea Tsurumi<\/a><\/strong> was a game-changer for me. Growing up in Russia, comics were not a part of my culture or aesthetics. In 20 years of me living in the U.S. I never understood it. Andrea Tsurumi opened an amazing new world to me, and it helped me with finding my creative path.
\n
 

\n<\/a>
\n

(Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/center>
\n
 

\nTo me, illustration is art with a purpose \u2014 purpose beyond one person\u2019s desires and expression. It is also a collaborative effort to communicate an idea. I like that this art form stretches beyond one individual. And it involves reading! I have always been a bookworm and have imagined everything I was reading about. I grew up in post-Soviet Russia, and publications were dry. One could rarely find a book with a full-cover illustration. Forget about interiors!
\n
 

\n<\/a>
\n
(Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/center>
\n
 

\nI have lived in New York for the past 20 years. I have only had one opportunity to go back to Russia. My culture and my heritage are very important to me, and although I don\u2019t find the time to visit home as often as I like, it is always with me. I read and speak in my native language a lot. It has a big influence on me and my work.
\n
 

\n
\n
 

\nI find myself in a funny place: Although I have lived here for two decades, I still have an accent when I speak English and now, when I go back home, I am told I have an American accent when I speak Russian. I am a legal alien wherever I go.
\n
 

\n
\n
 

\nI follow a lot of artists that I admire \u2014 Kilian Eng<\/a><\/strong>, Edward Kinsella<\/a><\/strong>, and Shaun Tan<\/a><\/strong> to name a few, but I have found that it is a double-edged sword for me. If I look too much at someone\u2019s work, I begin to imitate that person\u2019s aesthetic on a subconscious level. So, instead, I turn to books, movies, theatre, animation, and music. I am very much inspired by ideas, stories, and the emotional context that those stories have. Nature plays a big part. I think I am inspired by everything in life, really. My dog and I go on long walks and find a lot of curiosities, which in the rush of the daily routine otherwise go unnoticed. Each and one of those little finds could be the beginning of a story and fuel my imagination.
\n
 

\n
\n
Sketch<\/em><\/center>
\n
 

\nAs I love to experiment, it is hard to commit to one medium. As long as I have tactile experience, it doesn\u2019t really matter what I use. Lately, it\u2019s been a happy 50\/50 merge between traditional and digital.
\n
 

\n
\n
\n
Sketches<\/em><\/center>
\n
 

\nThis is the last year of the MFA program, and so my main focus is on my thesis and Thesis Show this coming May. I decided to put all freelance work on hold for the moment and dedicate all of my time to school. There is a personal project right after that, which is in a raw stage at the moment.
\n
 

\n
\n
\n
Brighton Beach<\/em><\/center>
\n
 

\nI will be graduating this May. It is hard to say where I will end up after graduation. Of course, I would love to establish myself as an illustrator. I would love to work within sci-fi\/fantasy book publishing and expand on creating and understanding comics. Prior to the MFA Illustration as Visual Essay at SVA, I taught contemporary dance for seven years. I miss the interaction I had with my students and the opportunity to share something I know and would love to get back into the classroom in some shape or form.
\n
 

\n
\n
\n
 

\nThroughout my life, I have encountered wonderful teachers, mentors, and advisors. Their dedication and care helped me grow as a person and an artist. I am a very insecure individual, and if it wasn\u2019t for their encouragement, you wouldn\u2019t see all this work today. I am forever grateful for having them in my life.
\n
 

\n
\n
 

\nAll images used by permission of Deena So’Oteh.<\/em> <\/p>\n

Note for any new readers: 7-Imp\u2019s 7 Kicks is a weekly meeting ground for taking some time to reflect on Seven(ish) Exceptionally Fabulous, Beautiful, Interesting, Hilarious, or Otherwise Positive Noteworthy Things from the past week, whether book-related or not, that happened to you. New kickers are always welcome.<\/p>\n

* * * Jules’ Kicks * * *<\/strong><\/font>
<\/center><\/p>\n

It’s been a while since I’ve had seven separate kicks. Here we go. …<\/p>\n

1)<\/strong><\/font> Deena’s visit. I love hearing from the illustrators of the future – future – future. (That’s my echo.) <\/p>\n

2)<\/strong><\/font> The new Doctor! A quick glimpse anyway …
\n
 

\n