My roots are deeply set in Minsk, Belarus, where I lived until the age of 30. Although creative expression interested me from childhood, I embarked on a 10-year journey as an accountant. Approaching 30, an inner question arose: How will I feel in this role in another 10 years? A deep ache and discomfort appeared. After a minute of searching the internet, something about graphic design resonated with me. This marked the starting point of a new chapter. I moved to Kyiv, changing both career and country, and lived there for about five years until the war began.

The war irrevocably altered my perception. Much within me was shattered, reset, and purified. A new period of rebirth unfolded, bringing with it fresh purpose, new states of being, expanded capacity, and depth. California has been my creative home since 2022.

Through artistry, I recall my essence, the stillness and the void, what it means to be a creator, how to trust, how to expand my heart to infinity, how to honor my ancestry, how to feel my core in any happenstance, how to be fearless, completely honest, and loving.

In creation, I aim for complete presence in an open dialogue with the very essence of being. I learn to trust my hands, my inner resonance, the clay, the fire, the air — every part enriching the whole. Sometimes a deformation appears, sometimes a crack, sometimes things don’t match expectations. In these moments, I find peace and acceptance in the realization that in this vibrant life, there is a place for all manifestations.

During creation, each piece suggests how it is ready to emerge. A pendant chooses the color of its thread. Beads reveal where they want to be placed, and in what quantity. And I am grateful when, in this beautiful co-creation, my individual self is able to disappear, leaving only my pure essence to experience the living moment.

Viktoria Tauz