7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #568: Featuring
Up-and-Coming Illustrator, Deena So’Oteh
January 7th, 2018 by jules
It’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, who is originally from Russia and is a student at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.
Deena shares many pieces of artwork today and tells us a bit about herself. Let’s get to it. I thank her for visiting.
Deena: 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 — 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 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.
To me, illustration is art with a purpose — purpose beyond one person’s 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!
I 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’t 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.
I 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.
I follow a lot of artists that I admire — Kilian Eng, Edward Kinsella, and Shaun Tan to name a few, but I have found that it is a double-edged sword for me. If I look too much at someone’s work, I begin to imitate that person’s 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.
As I love to experiment, it is hard to commit to one medium. As long as I have tactile experience, it doesn’t really matter what I use. Lately, it’s been a happy 50/50 merge between traditional and digital.
This 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.
I 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.
Throughout 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’t for their encouragement, you wouldn’t see all this work today. I am forever grateful for having them in my life.
All images used by permission of Deena So’Oteh.
Note for any new readers: 7-Imp’s 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.
It’s been a while since I’ve had seven separate kicks. Here we go. …
1) Deena’s visit. I love hearing from the illustrators of the future – future – future. (That’s my echo.)
2) The new Doctor! A quick glimpse anyway …
3) The few days of zero work I had during the holidays.
4) Watching season one of the television adaptation of The Handmaid’s Tale is rough and left me tossing and turning some nights, but I thought it was very well-done.
5) All the year-end news and round-ups reminded me of my favorite moment of 2017.
6) Brunch with friends.
7) My unofficial New Year’s resolution to do things like brunch-with-friends more often.
What are YOUR kicks this week?
I wish Deena So’Oteh much success. Her illustrations are filled with imtensity.
by Jone January 7th, 2018 at 10:10 amJules, I really want to see The Handmaid’s Tale. I’m glad you had some time the was clear of expectations and time with friends.
My kicks:
1. Finishing a crochet hat.
2. Announcing the CYBILS Poetry finalists.
3. Creating New Year postcards.
4. Friends.
5. Back to school.
6. Reading.
7. Clearing.
Have a great week.
Hello and Happy 2018, Jules and all Imps!
I am so glad to know of Deena’s art – it’s stunning!
Jules, I love your kicks. The future echo made me laugh, as did revisiting the newsman and interrupting kids. I wish you many brunches with friends.
Jone, I love the feeling of finishing a project like a crocheted hat and of clearing.
My kicks:
by Dow Phumiruk January 7th, 2018 at 11:06 am1. winter break with the family
2. visiting a citrus orchard and tasting strange citrus fruit (like fingerling limes and Buddha’s hands!)
3. libraries
4. catching up on some reading!
5. a brand new year, a fresh start
6. surprise packages (Pusheen dolls from my brother)
7. playing board games with the kids and laughing really hard
I was happily reminded of that TV moment as well, but I have to admit my greatest disappointment of 2017 was that there wasn’t a follow-up picture book of those two kids done in this style: http://paperbeatsscissors.tumblr.com/post/158409867303/do-not-try-to-stop-them
by Jerrold Connors January 7th, 2018 at 2:07 pmJERROLD! So glad you sent that, because I had seen it way back and had LOVED IT and wanted to link to it today — yet I couldn’t, for the life of me, remember where it was! … I will never tire of the Marion-as-world-leader memes, such as: https://metrouk2.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/mg_marion_memes_comp.png. I love that kid.
Jone, thanks for the Cybils reminder. I want to go see the finalists. Good luck returning to school (though maybe you already have).
Dow, we are a big board game-playing family here. … Glad you had a good break. Those fruits are all new to me too.
Hope you are all staying warm.
by jules January 7th, 2018 at 3:22 pmGood afternoon, Imps! I hope you are all doing well today. 🙂
Hello, Deena! Thank you for sharing your work. I especially like that first piece. Yay also for dancing, and hello to your dog!
Jules: Lucky Thirteen!
Jone: Have a great second semester!
Dow: Three cheers for laughing, joy, and a fresh start.
My kicks for the past week:
by Little Willow January 7th, 2018 at 4:45 pm1) Music
2) Meetings
3) Responses
4) Writing
5) Consideration
6) Compassion
7) Hope, always
Little Willow, I tease my youngest daughter, who is a GINORMOUS Doctor Who fan and a HUGE fan of David Tennant that the new doctor, though we’ve only seen a few moments of her, is THE BEST. I know I can’t fairly say that, but I’m just teasing her. She loooves to stand up for Tennant (though she’s excited about the new one too).
Happy writing!
by jules January 7th, 2018 at 8:09 pm