Janet Pulcho (full name Zhanna Pulcho; May 8, 1997) is a Ukrainian artist from Odessa and known for her huge watercolour paintings. The main theme of her paintings is floral. She started practicing since 2013. She had been dreaming about becoming an artist since she was a schoolgirl. When she was still learning in high school she was preparing to enter the “Odessa State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture”. She took private lessons from a very cool watercolour artist who finished “Repin Academy of Fine Arts”.
She was the first person who developed her interest to words watercolours. At first it was very hard, because she retaught her to paint watercolour. She explained to her all those things which had helped her later to develop her creative skills. Study in academy was a great experience for Janet, as she was studying in the Faculty of Fine Arts. Studying in the academy took her five and a half years and she graduated with masters degree. During the whole studying process, she was mostly practicing academic painting. Only in her forth studying year she discovered botanical illustration, that developed into these huge floral paintings of her. Since 2021, Janet Pulcho is a member of the Union of Artists of Ukraine. Now, the artist is studying at Florence Academy of Art in Italy to improve her skills.
1. Have you always been interested in visual arts?
I have been involved in Visual Arts for about 8 years. Now I can say that it’s an important part of my life.
2. And how did you start doing that?
I can’t remember the first time but it must be in childhood. I started painting with watercolour more seriously in 2012-2013.
3. Do you always enjoy your work?
For me it’s like meditation. When I paint time just goes by. Usually, when people see how I paint with watercolor, they say that they are attached to the process, it’s like shamanism.
4. Tell us please, how do you manage to keep creating and what thoughts or things motivate you? How do you start your day and how do you set to work in such times?
Art is everything for me, I paint every day and I can’t imagine my life without it. I think that art must inspire and calm you down, because there are so much depressing abstract art. I absolutely do not mind it, but I think that artists by bringing up problematics should give an answer as well.
Before I started studying at the Florentine Academy, I had a great rhythm. At 10 am, I was going to paint and finish at 5 pm with a short break for lunch or a bike ride to the post office.
I believe in the magic of the morning, I enjoy my breakfast and plan my day. Now I wake up at 7:30, have my breakfast and go by bike or bus to the academy. After the academy I come at 5 pm and draw my watercolour paintings. And of course we shouldn’t forget about household chores. I love to cook and try to find new Italian recipes and try to cook them as well. So I have a very busy schedule right now. On weekends, I shoot reels for my instagram or masterclasses for my patreon, make art and go for a walk. I am sure that people should walk every day for at least 1 hour by foot. This is very useful. So on a day off, I can walk for about 3-4 hours calmly by foot. When I walk, I notice the beauty in nature and it inspires me a lot.
5. I saw on your website, that you run few workshops. Tell us a little about these workshops and how can one subscribe to them.
Yes, I have my patreon where I share watercolor masterclasses, my tricks and talk about the academy. I am also happy to invite you to a private watercolor lesson in Florence. I’m happy to share my knowledges. The lesson takes two hours. You will be able to sample the material and enjoy the botanical illustration. In the warm season, I like to make a lesson in a botanical garden or park. There is wisdom that when you share knowledge, new ones open up to you.
6. The main theme of your works is florals, huge florals. Something truly amazing and unique I think. How did you begin doing that? And what’s your favourite thing about it?
I like florals for their esthetics. There is enough ugliness in the world and I believe that my paintings can bring something beautiful and inspiring in other people’s life. My paintings mesmerise people due to their huge formats and bright colours. When you look at a painting with flowers it brings out so many thoughts and memories from the past. You can remember some nice moments of your life, like the smell of the garden in the spring. Paintings can bring so many emotions.
7. What materials do you work with the most and why? And do you decide how you want to paint a specific painting in advance ? Can you tell us any more about the production process?
I paint mostly in watercolour. Watercolour is a really difficult technique, it requires a lot of practice to make a painting look airy and not heavy. I always used to work with big pieces, while usually it was 80×60, 100×80 cm. But these huge watercolours I started to paint 2 years ago. And I found myself in it!I’m working in my studio with Alla prima (wet on wet) technique mostly.
8. Do you have a favourite
I really love my grand poppies because it seems to me that this painting ceases to be so realistic and starts to be more abstract.
9. What did you want to be when you were a child?
I don’t remember who I wanted to be, but I remember that I drew a lot at home.
10. What does success mean to you and is it important?
I am sure that the concept of success is different for everyone. Of course, I see that my brand is developing and the paintings are in demand more and more and I like it.
11. Name the biggest overall lesson you’ve learned in your life being a visual artist.
After the start of a full-scale war in Ukraine, I had to leave Odessa and I took only the bare necessities. Now I live in Florence in Italy and hope that one day I can go back home. I understand now that we need to be mobile and ready for new beginnings anytime.
12. What is your personal or professional motto?
I am a very goal oriented person and I love what I do. This is my biggest motivation.
13. If you were magically given two more hours per day, what would you do with them?
An hour of time I would spend on yoga and an hour on resting or drawing, but I must say that I would also like more energy for those two hours.
14. Can you please, give a piece of advice to the people that want to start a career as a visual artists, but have some fears or doubts in themselves or in what they are doing.
A lot of people have been asking about my watercolour tricks and I write about them on my patreon, but I can write you 3 perfect advices.
1st advice– Paint as often as you can. If you paint only once in a week, results will be insignificant.
2nd advice– Don’t be afraid of painting still life. If you have enough still life experience, you will be able to make realistic sketches from photos. An experienced painter faces no difficulties with photo sketches, but with still lifes it is way different because of the viewing angle.
3rd advice– use quality materials. You do not need to buy an expensive set of watercolours just get a small professional set. It is better to spend money on different kinds of watercolour paper. It helps you to see all of the watercolour effects. Paper can be very different. The same colour on two different types of paper can look really non-identical.
15. What is your biggest wish at the moment?
My dream is for the war to end. So that Ukraine would win and take their lands back. We are an independent country.
Thank you Janet for this interview and may your wishes come true.
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