Inward With Anastasiya Sukhenko

How has writing creating art supported your healing journey?

I have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and writing and art have given me an outlet for my overactive imagination. I'm able to direct my obsessive thoughts into something creative. It's a distraction and a productive one too. It's even allowed me to appreciate having this disorder, as strange as that sounds. I think of it as a balancing act. Having an active mind can be draining, but it's given me a very vivid and vast imagination, which benefits my creativity. 

What does it mean for you to roar? Can you share about a time you overcame feeling silenced?

To me, it means being unapologetically yourself. It's still something I struggle with, but I just entered my twenties. I'm still learning what my voice is and what I want to say. Writing and art have helped me figure that out. Sometimes without me even being cognizant of it. It's not easy to say what you truly feel. You have to have the courage to be disliked or disagreed with. But it's something I'm constantly working on. Every now and then I'll look back to a few months ago and think wow I've really come a long way. I know I'm making progress and that's big.

What prompted your art style?

Other art and artists, and my environment. I feel like I just take bits and pieces from a variety of things. Color is another thing I really love to work with. I associate a lot with things with color: feelings, music, memories, even people. I'm not exactly sure what my art style is, but I like that. I'm not tied to one thing and it's freeing to feel like I can just experiment.

What advice would you give to artist that want to pursue their craft, but don't know where to begin? Start where you feel most excited. And don't think about the result or the success of your craft. Focus on the joy you get from doing it. If you do what you love with love, everything will fall into place. 

What is one thing you want women to know today?
You deserve love, especially from yourself.

Anastasiya Sukhenko is a writer and a self-taught photographer. Currently, she is an undergraduate at the University of South Florida majoring in psychology and minoring in creative writing. You can find more of her work on Instagram @anasukhenko.