Cover Story: Pon Arsher

Cover Story

Sharing a part of myself

with

Pon Arsher

Pon Arsher fills her work with human figures, some inside other human figures. With her meticulous textures and colors, this self-taught artist, originally from Moldova, expresses emotions in a way that seems to have a therapeutic effect for her. At the same time, she finds an echo in a wide audience on social media.

“My paintings are a form of therapy for me. Everything around me, all my emotions and internal struggles, I express on the canvas. It turns out that this resonates with many people, and my art has gained a lot of attention online.”

How do you capture these emotions? It’s all about feelings. It’s hard to explain where they come from—they seem to arise from nowhere. Even I would be interested in understanding the source of it all.

I believe that this trend of developing art through Social Media and other online tools has a positive impact on the industry"

Sharing

I don’t have any expectations. I simply share a part of myself through my paintings. The feedback has been overwhelming—so much so that neither I nor my two-person team can keep up with the volume of comments, messages, and letters I receive. It sometimes feels like the scene from Bruce Almighty, where the main character tries to answer everyone’s requests, and they never stop. I’m truly honored by the response to my work.

I need to get rid of the blank canvas, so I cover it with a color that feels close to the mood of the image I plan to create. It’s just a way to overcome the fear of a blank canvas. After that, I can spend a lot of time in my studio—thinking, sitting, living— until I have a clear understanding of the image. It can take anywhere from a day to several months. Often, the base color and the original concept of the painting change dramatically as I work.

Social media

Since my journey as an artist began on its own, without much planning, the decision to grow through social media came naturally. It’s the best way for an artist to make themselves known without needing major connections or financial resources.

Your success on SM is a sign of your relevance in people’s hearts. I believe that this trend of developing art through SM and other online tools has a positive impact on the industry. These platforms allow you to find your audience among many people, which in turn provides tremendous support for an artist’s creative journey.