"The most profound revelation of humankind was the discovery of the future. Sacrifice now, gain later. This idea was not innate. It had to be learned. It takes a tremendous amount of time for me to create a single piece. The process is very complicated, requiring tremendous focus, discipline and sacrifice. In life you do not need much to create something beautiful or extraordinary. I chose black pen on white paper because I truly believe that "less is more" and that black is the most beautiful color. I want my work to encourage people to think deeper about what they could be, and then to aim single-mindedly at that. I want my art to inspire people to pursue what is meaningful, instead of what is expedient."
Milana Blackman
Milana Blackman is a contemporary artist in Venice, California. Although Milana was born and raised in Riga, Latvia, her parents were refugees from Armenia and Azerbaijan. Milana's art, like her background, is intricate and complex. Each of her works is created on an increasingly larger scale, symbolic of her growth and evolution as an artist and person.
Milana primarily draws mural size works in black ink, with the occasional use of dramatic colors. She has an extraordinary ability to draw the most complicated motifs in free form, without rulers, models or plans. Milana begins each piece with a custom white board, black pen, and a vision. The end result is often a very different image than what she originally had in mind; but Milana enjoys the journey of her artwork just as much as the destination.
Milana draws in ink because it is permanent and does not allow room for errors or mistakes. Ink on white board forces her to be accountable for her work. Milana loves clean lines and elaborate details. While there are artists whose work Milana admires, she is not influenced by traditional artists. Milana takes her inspiration from cinema, music and literature. Her work, "Beyond Good and Evil", was heavily influenced by the Canadian psychology professor Jordan Peterson. She is currently completing a piece entitled "The Joe Rogan Experience", and will soon begin "Father Culture", which is the first addition to Milana's debut work, "Mother Nature."
Milana's goal is to make art that is both aesthetically beautiful as well as thought provoking.
Milana graduated, at nineteen, from the Riga College of Art and Design. Prior to launching her formal art career, she modeled in Los Angeles and designed private estates in France, Monaco, Japan, Canada and Australia.
MIlana Blackman with her artwork "Mother Nature"
Milana Blackman having just completed her artwork "Beyond Good & Evil"