Professional Art tutor with +7 years of experience offering Drawing, Painting, Photography and Digital Art lessons at home (Exeter) to students of any age or level of expertise.

Find out more about Alisavo

• When did you start practicing? How did this passion find you?

  Drawing and me go back as far as I can recall. I remember being a little child, fascinated my my mum's doodles while she was on the phone. I started trying to do what she did. Soon enough I dare say, I got much better at it and that was it, I was on my way. It is a safe space I can forget all worry, even stop feeling actual physical bodily pain, like when I had to be taken to hospital for appendicitis and even though the pain was excruciating, it completely evaporated as soon as I started drawing.

• Which artists or works affect you the most?

  A lot of different artists have influenced and inspired me across the years. I particularly love the surrealists and expressionists. I love combining the two in my work.
  But I also love the unsung heroes, the original ones, the genuine authentic rebels, anyone who pours their soul in what they do and put a piece of it out there for the world to see. I believe everyone has inherent creativity, but those who commit to this practice truly, who persevere no matter what, those that work to pay their bills, but still dedicate themselves to creating something wonderful, people that do what they know they were born to do. People like that are what I call artists. And living life as authentically as possible is, for me at least, the truest form of art.

• What are the qualities and skill required to succeed in this area?

  Dedication. Commitment. Patience. The usual stuff one can expect out of anything they wish to excel in. But also playfulness, honesty and experimentation, not getting caught in a perceived "failure", to keep going, to try again on a new sheet of paper, a new canvas, to never ever give up.
  A great man called Steve Jobs once said something along the lines of: "Find what you love in life and do it. It will be hard and nothing else will keep you motivated enough to see it through, except what you truly love." So, that means love is needed too. Oh and one more thing: authenticity! Heaps of that! Never censor yourself - the rest of the world will try their best. If your art is pure, it's sure to tickle some people too close to the bone, you can be sure of that, so be your own best ally.

• What is the most valuable advice you can give to help someone stay focused on creative projects?

  Find a way to make time for this in your day or your week. Creativity is the food of the soul - don't postpone it and please don't negotiate it either. We live in a capitalist profit-based world where it always takes second place, but what nobody tells you is that without feeding your soul, life simply has no meaning, eventually. So my advice, direct from my own experience is this: make a space in your home dedicated to it. This will be your altar, always set up and waiting for you to simply step inside it and create. If you need to set up each time, you may never even start. If you share a home with others, make sure you explain to your family or companions that you need some uninterrupted time for yourself - and stick to it. It might help you to practice at regular times, i.e. for 2 hours every other evening. A schedule will help build a habit in you over time. Finally, if you're getting stuck, step away, go do something else and don't - I mean it - don't look at the work at all. When you feel that you have forgotten it, then it is time to go look at it again. Usually it will tell you what it needs. If not, go away and keep coming back until it does. Worst case scenario, paint something new over it and don't stop until you like the outcome - been there a few times, but got some amazing work out of it. When you feel like quitting, remind yourself that this is something you do out do choice and then reflect on all the reasons it motivates you to try again. Always keep track of your vision.

• How would you describe your passion; how does it make you feel?

  Passionate! And alive, sometimes full, sometimes empty and that's a good thing, as usually I feel like I am overflowing with emotion that demands expression. I didn't choose to be an artist, it is inside me and all I can do is become the channel through which it will be born into the world. Once I begin, it's the hardest thing to stop - hours can pass without food or drink or rest and I am feeling only bliss and that feeling of being in perfect sync with myself. I can make sense of the world through creation and to be honest, the world makes very little sense to me otherwise. If I cannot create, I go crazy - it is as necessary as breathing to me.

• What creative achievements are you particularly proud of?

  One of my favourite things I have ever worked on was not in fact a painting at all. It was a Faery House built out of salvaged tree branches, twigs, slate and shards of glass. I challenged myself to only use sting to tie all the wood together, no glue, except for the stone and glass. It took a year. I did that when I was an art student myself. It was so therapeutic to build it. It came to be about 1.5meters high and designed for little faery-folk no bigger than my pinky finger.
  I dare say I consider myself more proud of that accomplishment, than most shows I've done, it made my soul happy.

• Have you ever been surprised by a student; by their ability or quick progression?

  Absolutely! All the time. I am surprised each day, by how personal choice to study will make all the difference between a student who will thrive, over one who will just tag along for the ride. I only make sure to accept students who are self-motivated, no point in half-measures with something that is done out of passion, not need.

• Being a Superprof is an art! What is your secret?

  I genuinely love teaching. When I was in school, I was that kid that only could pay attention, if she could doodle on her books while at it. I would have favourite teachers and I was always so mindful of what made a teacher better than another. So in my work, I try to always be personal, work with each students unique needs, inspire them, accept them, sit and listen. A lot of people think a teacher just preaches, but the right teacher is a mentor and a therapist too, as needed. So many students of mine, especially the younger ones come with so much in their minds, we have to have let-go sessions of features before they can even pay attention to the lesson. Creating a safe space to share and take new knowledge in is vital for my practice. A teacher should only lead by example and never neglect to keep learning themselves. I practice my own art regularly, so that I can stay a few steps ahead of the game and always have something more to offer my students.