Euphorias

Artist's Journal is a collection of the various artworks and musings of Sveta Alenina. This compilation of works ranges from Sveta's simple sketches to her short bursts of poetry. Consisting mostly of her various illustrations, this book is exactly what the title describes - the journal of an artist. If artworks could talk - this is how they would do it. Sveta's art is intriguing. The variety of forms and color that she incorporates into the various illustrations is immense. There are no two works alike, and none of them gave me the feeling of repetitiveness. In the Amazon blurb, Sveta states that the images are more doodles than artworks. I have to disagree on this notion. Doodling implies that the illustration is like a stream of consciousness. I feel like this art is deliberate. There are intense feelings associated with the images portrayed, and, every so often, the illustrations come with epigrams to back them up. I don't think that doodles can invoke emotional sensations. This art does. There are a few darker sketches in the journal that represent deeper feelings of depression. This is a big contrast to the other images that show color palettes of brighter, 'happier' hues. It also shows the depth of these artworks and how nothing stops at the surface. As mentioned, there is some poetry in the book. It complements the idea of free association, and it bolsters the artworks. These aspects all add nicely to the diary-like feel of the book. Bianka Walter's review. Online BookClub. For the Artist Journal.