Being a business student is hard. Being a business student with the need for a creative outlet as well as a social life AND a job is even harder. We sat down with risk management major Elaine Adamsky at One Shot Coffee to see how she does it all, and why art is so important to her.
Her Campus: What sparked your need to paint?
Elaine Adamsky: I started painting when I was 10 because I always enjoyed doodling at home, so I decided to take a class. It came naturally to me.
HC: So is painting the only thing that tickles your fancy, or do you have other creative outlets that you turn to as well?
EA: I played the piano first. My whole life I’ve needed to be busy with something. My parents came from Europe (Ukraine, Kiev, specifically) but they weren’t really big on sports. They were more into cultural activities, and one day they were just like, “why don’t you take an art class?”.
HC: So, you’re a social butterfly AND you have a pretty big course load. You also just got a job offer the Graham Company (yay!). How often do you find time to paint?
EA: I probably paint one piece every 5 months or so. I do it in my free time for fun and stress relief.
HC: And as for your inspiration?
EA: Monet is my go to guy. I love his landscapes and I love impressionism. I’ve been to the Louvre, the Vatican, and all the museums in Philly. I always leave museums feeling inspired. I love painting in particular because it can capture a moment in time and reveal a whole story in a singular moment.
HC: That’s so true. I know that color is a big part of that story, but color is so hard to get just right.
EA: I really love painting water. The shades of blue are so calming. It’s funny because my work is usually very colorful whereas I like to wear mostly black. But I think that’s because I can’t paint things from my head. I prefer to paint nature, which has some of the best colors you can find.
HC: Last but certainly not least, if you could bring one impressionist painter back from the dead to date, who would it be?
EA: Monet
Follow her on Instagram! @laine_sky