Elena Gumeniuk, MA Illustration, specialises in screen prints. She talks to us about how her ideas have developed during the course and her love of the College printmaking workshop!

Can you tell us about the work you will be exhibiting in the show?
My final piece for the show is called “Metamorphoses.” It’s a series of screen-prints tangled around the theme of tattoos and body-marks.

What is your inspiration?
My inspiration lies in the realm of ephemeral ideas and the human body. For this particular project I was looking into the theme of D.I.Y and criminal tattoos. I like how they can tell the story of a body and can be a separate language by themselves. To be honest loads of different things inspire me, just everyday life. I like architecture and psycho geography but i’m just starting to explore ways of how to incorporate all my inspiration it into future work.

If you could show your work to one person, who would you choose and what would you show them?
I would probably show my Metamorphoses project to Gaia. He was a big inspiration for me for a long time with his huge lino cuts and his own language. I met the guy this spring when he had his first exhibition in London, and just observing how he works, talking to him, gave me a lot inspiration and a lot to think about for the future.

Has your practice changed at all since you’ve been on the course?
Yes.  Before starting the course I did all sorts of different stuff, but i was always interested in graphic art and printmaking the most. I have tried to work in all sorts of techniques – be it oil, acrylic, digital etc. I worked as a freelance illustrator for awhile but somehow I didn’t had the courage to dedicate my time to what I truly love which is printmaking.  Before the course my work was too precise but now I feel more free. I mainly work on the contrast of dark themes and exploring them with bright colours.

Why did you want to study MA Illustration at Camberwell?
A point came when I just felt that I needed time to build up my own style and voice, do something that would be interesting for me to explore in the long run. I still have so much work to do but I feel like I prepared the ground work for my future and i’m happy about it. I think Camberwell is the perfect place to be if you want to do illustration.  And also it has one of the best screen printing studios ever! I really enjoyed working in there. I would like to thank technicians, Tony and Brian, for helping me along the way!

How do you find the course structure and the way you are taught?
I really like that you have enough freedom to do whatever you want but that you have tutors to help you out when you need advice.

What are you hoping to do once you finish the course?
Well, I hope to carry on with what i’m doing right now – making prints.  I would really like to get an internship or maybe a job in a printmaking studio. This would help me to practice my skills and keep enjoying the thing I like the most. Exhibitions, art fairs, collaborations etc. I have loads of ideas for the future projects. I think one of the next steps would be to get a studio of my own to work more freely on the large-scale stuff i’m planing to do.

How do you think your Masters has helped prepare you for your next step?
It helped me determine what things I like the most and concentrate on them. It certainly helped me to feel more confident about what I do and develop my own style and way of working.

What have you enjoyed most about studying at Camberwell?
Atmosphere of the College, communication, and again the printmaking studios!

What advice would you give to a student starting on this course?
My advice would be just to work on what you love the most, try new stuff, experiment be brave and confident right from the start, make mistakes and try to take advantage of everything that Camberwell College of Arts has to offer you!

http://elenagumeniuk.com/
http://elenagumeniuk.tumblr.com/