Interview with Artist Talia Flanzraich

Ready for another excellent interview? Let me introduce you to talented creative Talia Flanzraich!

Talia Flanzraich is a Canadian poet, writer, and artist who has been passionate about creative writing and visual art since she was a child. She is the author of the poetry book titled Up and Down the Ladder (2022).

A fluent speaker of Russian, Talia enjoys studying foreign languages, including Hebrew, Turkish, Tatar, and German. Her writing niches include poetry, visual art, music, travel, food/nutrition, health, disability awareness, leisure, multiculturalism, and history.

Talia currently lives north of Toronto in an apartment complex for people with diverse needs.

Cendrine Marrouat: Hello Talia, thank you for being with us. What made you decide to become an artist? And what came first: visual art or writing?

Talia Flanzraich: Art started out as a personal hobby that I found therapeutic and stimulating. My Autism makes me a naturally creative and imaginative human being, so visual art was a perfect way for me to escape reality and “to temporarily live in my fantasies”.

Writing came when I was seven years old. I was granted many diaries as gifts and would utilize them to write stories and diary entries. I loved reading and watching television and would become fascinated with character names and settings of each film, television show, biography and stories I would delve deep into. My innate passion for entertainment and fantasy inspired me to write my own stories in my journal.

Visual art came first, because I embarked on my visual art journey when I was two years old.

CM: What is your creative process like? Which art form influences you the most?

TF: I primarily search for inspiration from books, movies, films, games, past experiences, emotions, G-d; and then I hunt for artwork from other artists and save them on Pinterest. When I see an art piece, my creative juices begin to flow and then I’ll become more inspired by that piece of art.

Once I’ve gathered all of my sources of inspiration, I pick which one I’d like to do on a specific day or night and draw it out. I’d have to look at a picture to make sure I’m getting the shapes and stuff right, but I wouldn’t copy anyone else’s artwork.

If I’m taking a photograph from my phone, I simply hunt for whatever catches my eye in the moment, photograph it and then filter it to make it stand out more. If I’m writing about my source of inspiration (e.g. G-d, childhood memories, mobile games, book characters, songs, places of interest, etc.), I’d most likely write it out on my phone or in a notebook, edit it when needed, and then publish it on any platform of my choice.

With respect to which art forms influences me the most, I’d have to say poetry (haiku, cinquain, free verse, tanka, palindrome, haibun, prose, fictional and micro poetry), drawing/painting (abstract, cubism, scenery, spiritual, pop culture and anime), photography, illustration and crafting (latch hooking, knitting).

CM: How would you define your style? Is there one piece you created or wrote that sums up who you are as an artist? Why?

TF: With respect to poetry, I mainly write in free verse and syllable form. I’m not the best with rhyming poetry, so I find it easier to use syllables to convey my message. I write about both positive and negative things, which changes the mood of my writing continuously.

There are lots of pieces I wrote that sums up who I am as a writer. To name one of them, the free verse poem “Alien Girl” (which can be found in my book Up and Down the Ladder) clearly tells the reader that I’ve been through a lot and how bullying has impacted me as a writer. The emotions are well communicated and the reader can immediately sense what the writer went through.

About the visual art component, I mainly do cubism and abstract art, but sometimes I’ll do “kawaii-style” drawings and paintings, to connect with my inner child. The point of me practicing cubism and abstract art is to freely articulate my beliefs and emotions without adding too much detail.

I don’t like to add too much detail to my artwork, because I believe that the person viewing my art can understand the message in a short-and-sweet manner. There are lots of pieces I created that sum up who I am but, there is one thing that is quite powerful, because it discusses my lengthy battle with sugar/junk food addiction. The painting is called, “Sweet Tart” and it’s a geometric abstract acrylic painting done on a large canvas (I can’t recall the exact measurements at the moment).

Most of my artwork and written pieces show people that I’m a dedicated, youthful, courageous, and spiritually inclined human being.

CM: This year, you released your first book, Up and Down the Ladder. Would you tell us the story behind this title?

TF: I called my book “Up and Down the Ladder” because my life was like incessantly climbing up and down a ladder. I’ve gone through many positives and negatives in my life and I felt multiple emotions (sadness, anger, fear, happiness, joy, excitement, confusion) that would make me unstable and unable to “stay in one direction” for most of my life.

The ladder was a metaphor I chose to use, because not many people have used it that way. They mainly use the terms “mountain”, “path”, “road” and “avenue”. I wanted to find a term that was less ubiquitous, so I can reveal my ability to think outside of the box.

CM: Your book discusses themes like self-worth, bullying, disability, mental health, and self-discovery. Why is poetry such an effective art form to open important conversations?

TF: Poetry is a fantastic way to get your points across, because it gives the writer an opportunity to “paint a picture with their vocabulary” as opposed to writing a lengthy, detailed diary entry or personal narrative about their personal experiences.

Poetry allows people to ask questions, think of various concepts in a distinctive way and bond with the author more. Personal narratives and diary entries already give the reader most of the answers they are looking for, so it doesn’t give as much of an opportunity for the reader to interact with the author.

For my entire life, I’ve been the kind of individual who needed to express myself and educate people about what actually happened in my life, rather than being private about it and moving past my issues. I don’t believe it’s healthy and when I’m too private about certain things, I end up bottling-in my emotions and then I begin to feel worse.

Creative expression is the healthiest way to not just release your emotions but to teach people about what it’s merely like to live with a disability and how to do their part to make the world a better place. Also, people tend to be ignorant and obnoxious towards vulnerable people, so by writing about it, the reader can develop a stronger sense of empathy and understanding.

The more awareness and empathy people have, the better off society will be. That’s just my theory on it.

CM: How has the book been received so far? And why do you think it is the case?

TF: The book has been well received and I’ve gotten great reviews so far! This is definitely because people who know me and truly have faith in me (family members, close friends and people I have regular contact with) are fully aware of my inborn talent and gift for writing and making visual art.

CM: What makes you an inspirational artist? What do you want people to learn from your work?

TF: The fact that I’ve been through so many hardships during my life, my self-awareness, as well as the innate talent I have for making art makes me an inspirational artist.

I wish people would continue to learn about the essence of empathy, mental illness, developing satisfaction in the small pleasures, the power of our memories and how they can impact our lives in the present.

CM: What is your most important piece of advice to artists?

TF: For people who want to embark on their visual art journey, take classes that are beginner-friendly and inclusive! To get the most out of your classes, pick your centre wisely; don’t look for a low-rated or poorly reviewed place, just because it’s the most convenient for you to travel to. Find friends and people who also enjoy visual art, do some visual art with them and use them as people who can mentor you. Practice as much as you can on your own time. Get sources of inspiration: discover various artists from multiple eras, look at different art pieces and find which movement interests you the most. Don’t pressure yourself. Trust your instincts.

For people who want to pursue writing, start reading as much as possible! Reading is the best way to form your writing skills. Examine a wide range of writing styles and pick which ones are the most suitable for you. Write on different online platforms and connect with other writers. Take various workshops to build your craft and don’t be afraid to ask for help when necessary! Most importantly, keep practicing and never give up!

CM: Anything else people should know?

TF: My Autism makes me a motivated and creative person. These so-called “autistic superpowers” I proudly possess are why embarking on my creative journey was possible. If it wasn’t for my Autism, I wouldn’t be the artist/writer I am today. I hope people will remember this about me.

I’m currently working on my second poetry book called Scrapbook, which is a collection of both poetry and art about my childhood memories. Stay tuned!

“Art is Freedom” by Talia Flanzraich

With paint,

paint brushes,

pencils,

pastels and pencil crayons,

I’m free to articulate

whatever I desire.

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Whether it’s preposterous,

humorous,

sorrowful,

graphic

or heartening,

I’ll make my point.

©2022 Talia Flanzraich

Support Talia Flanzraich’s Work!

For more information on Talia Flanzraich, visit her page on Vocal and Redbubble store. She is also on Instagram.

Don't forget to grab a copy of her book!

That's it for today! Thank you for reading!

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Cendrine Marrouat is a writer, photographer, podcaster, blogger, anthology editor, and the co-founder of Auroras & Blossoms and A Warm Cup of Cozy. She has authored and co-authored more than 40 books, including The Train: A Short Story (2023), In Her Own Words: A Collection of Short Stories & Flashku (2022), After the Fires of Day: Haiku Inspired by Kahlil Gibran & Alphonse de Lamartine (2021), Rhythm Flourishing: A Collection of Kindku and Sixku (2020), Walks: A Collection of Haiku (2019-2020), and In the Silence of Words: A Three-Act Play (2018).

Cendrine's work has appeared in many publications. She is the creator of the Sixku, Flashku, Sepigram, and Reminigram; as well as the co-creator of the Kindku, Pareiku, Vardhaku, and Hemingku.