Thanks Kristina aka @kristinakemenikova  for taking part in our illustrators’ interview series! 

How long have you been drawing?

I am Kristina Kemenikova. I live in Slovakia. I am a self thaught illustrator. I have been drawing and painting since I was a child. I used to paint a lot with my dad. I only started to paint illustrations 3years ago and I really love it.

Digital vs traditional?

I use traditional methods as aquarell but I also paint digitally too on my IPad.

What’s your process?

It all starts that I imagine a picture how I would like it to look like and than I sketch it but I only do rough sketches and than I start to paint.

How long does it take to create it?

I don’t really follow how long does it take as when I am painting everything else stops for me and I only concentrate on the painting.

What inspires you?

I love to paint plants and forest animals with human elements let it be either some human character or human activity. I think it is so lovely to show human activities thru these beautiful furry little creatures. Many of my paintings are related to plants as I am a big plant lover. My parents are gardeners so I can say literally that I grew up in a greenhouse and from my young age I was always working with plants. I also love to make illustrations for ecological topics as that is very close to me and I feel that it is very necessary nowadays to talk and inform people as much as we can about environmental problems and changes what we can do four our planet.

Why do you paint?

I paint because it’s such a big part of my life that I can’t imagine even a day without painting let it be only doodling at my desk but I just love it. I also love making ceramics.

What is the proudest moment that you have achieved?

The proudest moment that I have achieved is mmmmm actually I don’t know but I love to help and when I was small (I still do it now haha) and I saw a bee drown I would get it out of the water and gently blow it wings to dry it so it can fly away and I was always proud that I saved someone’s life. 🙂

What is the biggest obstacle that you have faced?

The biggest obstacle or I would say rather the biggest lesson so far in my life was when I broke up with my fiancé and that experience changed my life at all. I have realised so many things in a positive way that I am really thankful for this experience in my life, I believe that without it I wouldn’t be the same person as who I m now. 

You have one day to live, how do you spend it?

If I had one day to live I would spend it with my family , my dogs and friends as they mean a world to me but I would also just spend some of it as I do it every day and that’s being in nature and listening to nature. I love when I hear the wind blowing, the sound of the sea, the silence when it’s full moon or when I watch the stars. I m soo thankful for these moments and I thank for them every time I can experience these beautiful moments. 

How people can get in contact with you? 

I have a web page www.k-bbf.com but most of my work is posted on my Instagram account @kristinakemenikova 

Kristina with the first book she has ever illustrated.

The cottage where she lives, it’s an 150 yrs old cottage and its her little fairytale bungalow. 

Kristina’s parents greenhouse, one of her favourite places.

Her dog Lilly, her little daschund pups. She has two daschunds and two german shepheard dogs. Her kitties 🙂 she has 4 kitties.

Vegan cake she has made and also photogrpahed (she loves foodstyling ) She loves plant based food. 

Her flowers zinnias. She plants loads of flowers every year so all the butterflies, bees and insects have a flower field.