I came to “Paint” following my human instincts, both brutish and sublime (the instincts of the viewer and the artist and a need for esthetic pleasure). All my love for the art of the 19th / early 20th centuries accumulated here. My choice of the inspiring artists was determined by long-standing affection for their creations. Then I became interested in the sources of inspiration from both sides – the artist and the model, intertwining, opposing, conflicting and working for each other. Immersing into scrutiny of the artist-model interaction, you unexpectedly get new information about yourself. You unpack your inner demons. It is amazing to observe the transformation of your creative, exploratory energy into sexual and vice versa. I allowed myself to undress in front of the camera for the first time. Or, to be more precise - I allowed my characters to do that, and through them - myself. When it comes to art, natural emancipation replaces social shyness. The secret desire for exposure in public comes to light. And it’s not just physical nudity. This is the release of locked sexual energy. The image of the nude has an ability to penetrate into the subconscious of the viewer when besides the body itself the author shows all the passions, desires and fears of that body. Finally, my quest led me to the topic of the shy artist’s hidden sexuality, expressed through his model. The artist is often shy and bashful, only art allows him to open up. At the same time, it was interesting to combine two techniques, two kinds of art - photography and painting. I used color in order to represent the depth, intimacy and eroticism of the relationship between the artist and the model. There is a lot of color in this series and it plays one of the main roles.