We had the good fortune of connecting with Angelika Andrzejewska and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Angelika, how do you think about risk?
Definitely a leading role. I love taking risk. It helps me to constantly moving forward and not being afraid to make major life changes. One of my favorite mottos is You can’t cross a chasm in two small steps. Especially when you have a great passion that drives your life and make it meaningful. Combining this approach with a healthy distance to anything that life can bring us, keeps me motivated. Especially when things go wrong, and when it’s extremely hard to find any kind of motivation. Someone said that the worst decision is the one that hasn’t been made at all. I couldn’t agree more.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m influenced by classic western movies that my grandfather, uncle, and brother used to watch during our family gatherings every year. Because we had only one TV in my grandparent’s house there was always a distinct division in movie selection. Either another romantic comedy cherished by my lovely aunties, or Clint Eastwood in action, clearly for the male audience. Somehow, I always preferred the second one.

My creative process starts starts with watching another western movie from my list which never ends, and expands every single week, so I don’t have to worry of running out of inspirations. I try to find the most interesting for me scene from the movie, recreate it in my own way, take a character’s movement, reaction or just a face expression. Sometimes it’s only few random words, a simple sentence or a short dialogue that is particularly memorable and intriguing for me. Then I’m taking my notebook and I begin to draw. With pencil or black fine liner.

It happens that some of my graphics, compositions or quotations don’t suit me anymore, or they don’t work together as I thought they would be at the very beginning. Then I try to look at it once again, from the other perspective, often by watching the movie once again. It also helps to watch the movie with someone else, not necessarily fascinated by this genre as much as I am, but just to exchange thoughts, share opinions…

My biggest artistic goal is to bring back the forgotten enchantment of western movies, by presenting my European vision and interpretation of American Wild West. Or in other words, trying to prove that not all of these kind of movies are just about thrilling gunfights in front of the saloon or good guys chasing the bad guys on their horses. Although personally I don’t mind those aspects, there’s usually something more complex and intriguing hidden behind the plot.

My ongoing personal project – When in the West, has been my artistic mission for almost 10 years. It is a body of work that is the physical embodiment of my long fascination with the American West, with illustrations, collages, and texts. In my scenario, all roads lead to Old West.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Currently, I’m living in New York City, which offers unlimited number of places I could recommend.

My favorite spot to hang out and chill is Little Island on the Hudson River. It’s a recently build artificial island, beautifully designed by one of the best landscape architects. You can take your blanket, sit on a grass whole day, enjoy amazing views over the river and listen to local artists giving their performances.

You can get there by taking the High Line – elevated park built on an old railroad tracks. On your way uptown towards Hudson Yards I would strongly recommend to step by The Little Mermaid in Chelsea to eat almost famous Lobster Roll.

The best place to have a coffee is Laughing Man, little cafeteria in Tribeca run by Hugh Jackman. My favorite drink spot is Woodhul Wine Bar in Brooklyn.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Person/mentor: Ph. D. Architect Czeslaw Bielecki Artist: Matt McCormick
Idol/actor: Clint Eastwood
Book: Screw It, Let’s Do It – Richard Brandson,
Zen golf – Joseph Parent

Website: https://angelika-andrzejewska.format.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wheninthewest/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelika-andrzejewska-15bb61219

Other: https://www.instagram.com/angie_andrzejewska/?hl=en https://wallbeing.com/artysta/100-angelika-andrzejewska

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