What is the best thing that I love about my work? It is a deformed contour line that is a very good foundation for constructing my drawing. Every time I start drawing, I tell myself, “Draw this drawing as naively and ugly as possible.” That’s when my hand relaxes, doesn’t think about mistakes, and in the end, I get a very well-drawn piece.
What is my idea of happiness? What makes me happy about my work is primarily the developmental journey. Every day, every month, I see progress in my drawing. I am most proud of that. The idea is for my work to become “uglier” over time, as I like to say. To not show fear but to be a badge of free thoughts and boldness that I give it.
What is my greatest fear? My biggest fear, I would say, is that the current times don’t recognize true art and it gets rejected at some point simply because it is sincere and not “mainstream.”
What is the trait that I most deplore in myself? I regret being emotional, hahah. I experience the world we live in in a very introspective and deep way. I feel the unrest that comes from it, so I want to express it through my drawings. I cherish honesty, which can sometimes be good and sometimes even kill.
Which living persons in my profession do i most admire? Some people are greatly responsible for my artistic creation. Among others, my illustration professor Dragan Bibin, who has been with me for several years, helps me become better in my work. He is a great support to me. In addition to him, my friends who are engaged in various forms of visual and applied arts are always there to provide advice if I need it. As for people I personally don’t know but have had a great influence on the development of my art, they are illustrator Dragoslav Bob Živković and comic artist Mike Mignola, who are already well-known on the global scene.
What is my greatest extravagance? The only sadness is wasting time, which is always lacking. But I often waste words when I say that no one might appreciate my art. All artists subconsciously think about it, and it drives us to work even harder and be better at it.
On what occasion would I lie? Uh, I always get carried away when talking about art, I speak passionately about my art. But I think there is no need to exaggerate. Maybe only when looking for a job, haha. But I consider even that to be meaningless.
What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work? Sometimes I don’t like that I fuss too much, I want every detail to be in its place, even though my drawings are full of details.
When and where was I the happiest, in my work? I am happy every time I get engaged in a project. But I think I was happiest and proudest when I received my first major award. It was a project related to the artistic creation of tapestry at Atelje 61 in Novi Sad. The studio specializes in hand-woven artistic tapestries created in a traditional way. I did the drawing for them, and they turned it into a tapestry. It is now part of their collection, and you can see it when you visit Novi Sad. Go to Petrovaradin Fortress, where their Atelje 61 is located. You can even buy the tapestry if you are a fan or a collector.
If I could, what would I change about myself? Uh, a tough question, hahah. The only thing I would like to change is the era in which I live, so that I could learn to paint better with oil from the best artist-teachers. Let’s say Hieronymus Bosch or Amedeo Modigliani.
What is my greatest achievement in work? I would say the greatest achievement is breaking through to the international scene (Slovenia) and having an exhibition in Višnja Gora.
Where would I most like to live? By the sea. Italy or France, I can’t choose.
What is my most treasured possession? The most valuable thing is freedom, but artistic freedom, the one we feel within ourselves. That tranquility and silence that drive us to create. That is something that should never disappear from us; it is the fire that keeps us alive.
What is my most marked characteristic? To live life in harmony with our inner feelings. To offer that to others, to let them live and feel alive. To let them surrender to the beauties of nature, fire, water, and just listen.
What is my most inspirational location, in my city? There is a café called Frida Kahlo. It is located on the main promenade in the city, but in a cozy place, on the upper floor of an older building. The walls are adorned with her paintings, reproductions, of course. The entire interior is in the style of surrealism, symbolism, and modern art. Exhibitions of local artists are organized there every other week. Their works are displayed on the café walls. Besides this café, I also like to spend time in a café called Radio. It has a larger room where there is an antiquarian bookstore, and you can see radio sets from their inception and first production in one place. The interior of the café is roofless, with a small indoor lake full of fish, and you cross a bridge to get to the other room of the café. That ambiance is very inspiring and brings together various artists in one place.
What is my favorite place to eat and drink, in my city? A restaurant called “Vremeplov” (Time Machine), where I started going mainly because of its name and then because of the food. The exterior of the restaurant is covered with ivy, and the entire interior is adorned with various plants. When you are inside, you feel like you’re dining in a fairy tale.
What books influenced my life and how? Poetry by Branko Miljković, “Vatra i ništa” (Fire and Nothingness). Danilo Kiš’s “Mansarda” (The Attic). Branimir Šćepanović’s “Usta puna zemlje” (Mouth Full of Earth). Sigmund Freud, mostly all of his works. Albert Camus’ “The Plague.”
You Only Die Once. What music would I listen on my last day? Maybe some jazz, I enjoy listening to it. For example, the local band Fish in Oil. I recommend you listen to them if you haven’t already.
Who is my hero or heroine in fiction? I always imagine people who care for nature, live in harmony with it, and create art. One person who comes to mind is the film director Felix Colgrave. He is a person of my imagination; that’s who I imagine when talking about this.
Who are my heroes and heroines in real life? As I mentioned, he is a product of my imagination and reality. I will mention him, Felix Colgrave; his works are very inspiring. In addition to him, other film directors such as Andrei Tarkovsky, Ingmar Bergman, Krzysztof Kieslowski, David Lynch, Stanley Kubrick, and Akira Kurosawa. I am primarily inspired by film directors who deal with highly intuitive themes. I like to see how I will understand the fruit of their imagination and transfer it to paper. And at the same time, we are dealing with the same subject matter, mostly, so I like to analyze their works.
Which movie would i recommend to see once in a lifetime? Huh, I could recommend a lot of movies to watch. But here, the first one that came to mind is Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining.” It shares the spot with “2001: A Space Odyssey”; we can’t leave that one out.
What role play stories in my life and work? I believe that we all play many roles every day. And the role that helps me understand the world better is the role of a savior in the ontological sense of the word, that is, in its original meaning. We need to be a support to all those who need it, including ourselves.
What do the words ‘You are the storyteller of your own life’ to me? “Stop the planet, I want to get off.” The title of a collection of aphorisms by Petar Lazić, a satirist. I will steal that sentence; it completely describes my existence.
Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime? Family, friends, and a partner. I think that’s enough support to be able to create in silence.
Which people or companies would I like to work with ? As for companies, I look for those that suit my style, so that I don’t have to adapt to the company’s leading style. These are companies that work with 2D animation, illustration, such as Warner Bros, DreamWorks Animation, Walt Disney Company, Blizzard Entertainment, SQETCH Studio, Pixar, Netflix, Big Jump Productions. As for people, Mike Mignola and Felix Colgrave.
What project am I looking forward to work on? I love surprises, so I am looking forward to a project that I don’t yet know will happen. As for a project that I know will start soon and I am eagerly anticipating, it is a collaboration with the Terafforming company from Novi Sad, Serbia, which deals with cultural heritage.
Where can you see me or my work? I have several online profiles, such as Artstation, Behance, LinkedIn, Instagram, and soon on DeviantArt as well. The profiles are updated daily, so you can follow my work everywhere and support it. If you know any other crazy websites, let me know, and I can be there too.
What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me? Passion. It is that fire within us that ignited with our birth. We are the ones who have recognized its power, felt it, and now live it. Once we feel that energy, we never let it go, because we feel sick without it. I equate art with food. Without it, I am hungry, and the only option, the final one, is death. So art drives me every day and doesn’t allow the energy and passion within me to extinguish. Because that would be disastrous. Feed yourselves healthily!
Which creative professionals should Peter invite to tell their story? Felix Colgrave, Mike Mignola, Shaun Tan, Stan Prokopenko, Benjamin Paulus, Ramón Nuñez, Satoshi Matsuura, Helene Giraud, David Lynch, David Hartman.
How can you contact me? You can contact me through social media and email at any time. LinkedIn (Marija Ranković) https://mariamaria11.artstation.com/ , Instagram(marijaaa_rankovic), mail(rankovic.m888@gmail.com). Write to me, and I will respond as soon as possible!