Alexandra Chateaux shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Alexandra, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What is a normal day like for you right now?
Every morning begins with a perfectly brewed cup of coffee — rich, aromatic, and full of quiet promise. I step into my studio, where the air still holds the scent of paint and turpentine. The first ritual is simple: I walk among my canvases, checking the ones that are drying, feeling the textures of yesterday’s layers, and letting the light reveal new details I hadn’t noticed before. Then I decide on my main goal for the day — the one thing I truly want to bring forward.
Before the creative flow begins, there’s always a touch of routine — a few emails, some necessary phone calls, those little realities that keep the artistic world in motion.
After lunch, my favorite hours arrive. I start selecting new materials, preparing the canvas, stretching the surface, mixing pigments. That’s when the world outside disappears. The studio becomes alive — a private universe where thoughts turn into color and texture.
Almost every sunset, I take my boat out on the water. The movement of waves, the rhythm of the sea, the shifting light — it all clears my mind and opens new ideas. Nature always gives me back more than I expect.
Later, when the city quiets down, the most creative time begins. I dream boldly, sketching visions that I’ll chase in the morning. I love that fearless space between idea and reality — it’s where art is born.
Before sleep, I meditate — a few deep breaths to release the day. Then comes peaceful rest, knowing tomorrow will bring another chance to create, to explore, and to paint what I’ve only imagined tonight.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Alexandra Shatokhina, and for me, art is not just an expression — it’s a dialogue between texture, emotion, and light. I build my paintings the way others might build memories: in layers, slowly and intuitively, until the surface begins to breathe on its own.
I see painting as something sculptural — I love depth, relief, and the tactile presence of color. My inspiration always comes from nature — from its calm strength, its rhythm, and its endless ability to transform.
Through my art, I want to invite people to pause and simply feel — to experience beauty in a sensory, emotional way. I believe art should be hedonistic in the best sense: something you can lose yourself in, something that brings peace, curiosity, and pleasure to the eye and soul.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
My biggest inspiration has always been my mother. Since childhood, she promised me a life filled with the magic of imagination. She taught me to see beauty in ordinary things — in light, movement, silence — and to believe that creativity can turn even the simplest moment into art. Her spirit still guides me every day, reminding me that art is not only what we create, but how we choose to see the world.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
Sometimes the fear of death comes quietly, and I start to think that all these material things — even my paintings — are meaningless. It feels as if I’m just passing time in this incarnation, trying to give shape to something that will eventually fade. Yet maybe that’s exactly the point — to create beauty even while knowing it will vanish.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
If my close friend were to describe me, I think they’d say I live somewhere between the real world and imagination. They’d say I see beauty in things others might pass by — in light on the wall, in the wind, in silence. They know how deeply I feel everything, how much I care about the small, invisible details that make life magic.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What are you doing today that won’t pay off for 7–10 years?
Raising my daughter
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alexandrashatokhina.com
- Instagram: @alexandra.chateaux
- Linkedin: Alexandra Shatokhina
- Twitter: Alexandra Shatokhina
- Facebook: Alexandra Shatokhina
- Youtube: World Art Fest
- Soundcloud: Alexandra Shatokhina
Image Credits
This series is created with real ocean water — a direct collaboration with nature. Each painting carries the texture of salt, the rhythm of waves, and the quiet power of the sea. For me, the ocean is both material and muse, reminding us that creation, like water, is always in motion.
The idea behind this collection is to bring the ocean to places where there is no ocean view. Through color and movement, I want to give people the feeling of standing by the sea — to bring that endless horizon into any space.
