Lindzi.com // Alexandra Nechita

Alexandra Nechita is the fourteen-year-old painter known as "the petite Picasso"

When did your interest begin...

I was given watercolors when I was about four or five in the classroom. I would draw crazy things so eventually, at 6 years old, my parents bought me a canvas and I started working with oils. I was very lucky to have been given such supportive parents. It started with a very common desire that children have, which is to color, to draw pictures, to surprise mom and dad with an illustration of how you see them. The only thing that made me more different from children my age was the amount of time that I would spend with my art. Day to day events have an impact on my creative process. The things that you experience as child, losing friends, music, family, pets, can be incorporated into your work or you can find inspiration from more of a global atmosphere like the environment or war.

First piece purchased...

"It was an unexpected event. It was at my first exhibit. We didn't even think of selling anything. I had it to show my friends what I did. A couple came up and wanted to purchase a piece. I was like, 'No -- they're all so very special to me.' They all meant something to me and held a special moment in my life. She said, 'Well, it's for a gift to my mother-in-law for Mother's Day.' Once I heard it was for a gift, I gave in. It sold for $50 and the money was easily spent on supplies."

Favorite piece...

"I'm proud of each and every one of them," Alexandra giggles, "in a modest way, of course. They're all a piece of me because they're so personal. I've always considered my work to be a very open, yet very intimate part of my diary. It's all about who I am and people can get a grasp of my personality from it. There are certain paintings that are in my own private collection because I either like the techniques used or because it's a memory."

The career...

"I never really considered this a career. I've always considered this what I want to do forever because it's so much fun. I try to deviate as much as I can from the business side of it. That's why I'm so thrilled my parents are able to take care of that. They're the only people that I can have full trust in and know they'll do anything in my power to benefit me. If creating interferes with that aspect of it, then you begin to lose your freedom as an artist. This is something that I would like to do for as long as I can do it. There are so many things to experiment with. You can reinvent yourself in numerous ways. It's an undying medium. It's always new, always fresh. The beauty to it is that you can also add to each piece. My passion for this has increased as the years have gone by."

The future...

"There's various other mediums I will continue working in or begin to work in. There's just so many things you can do with art. The piece I'm currently working on is the largest painting I've ever done. It's about 16 feet by 10 feet high. I wasn't intimidated by it because I could never be intimidated by something I use to create, but I wasn't ready. I didn't have the right emotions and feelings to conquer it. So, two months passed by and I decided it was just too blank and had to do something with it. I put together several sketches. I had different thoughts regarding peace and family so I put a combination of the sketches together. Now, that I've gotten to the stage where it's practically all filled up, I'm like 'Couldn't this have been a little bigger?' Once you start, you're searching for more challenges to experience. You'll never know everything."

The fraternal flame...

"My little brother just had his first exhibit. My brother was like, 'Why does Nana (that's what he calls me) always have exhibits? Am I not a good enough artist?' So, of course, my parents and I, as his sister, were left with an obligation. At the end of the exhibit, my brother went up to my parents and thanked them and said, 'Now I know this makes me a real artist.' You would think children at that age are oblivious to their surroundings, but they almost seem to pay more attention to it than older children. So, it really means a lot to support them."

The hardships...

"Of course, I was teased. I was laughed at. I would come home with tears rolling down my face. The thing is, when you love something so much, you can overcome that easily. If you let people discourage you, you'll never be able to do anything in life. I've changed schools since then and go to a high school where none of my friends go. It was kinda like starting over, trying to explain to them what it is I do."

The friendships...

"Generally, with friends, our conversations have nothing to do with 'Alexandra Nechita.' They're really just about typical teenage stuff. They can't really comprehend why I'm doing what I do or how I'm doing it. It is difficult to make friends and make true friends. That's another challenge on top of my art - being a regular teenager."

The schedule...

"I go to school Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and on Thursdays and Friday's I work on projects. Mostly I do all my school work through independent study. I'll e-mail with my teachers to make-up work. It's difficult, but what are you gonna do? It allows me to have more time with my art."

The advantages...

"Having the ability to reach out to be my age, younger or older, and somehow motivate them. Boy, I just wish people could understand that anything in this world is possible as longs as you put your heart in it. I truly believe every person is given a passion by God and they have it instilled within them, it's just how long it takes you don't know. I'm just so lucky to have discovered mine so early in life."

The advice...

"Believe in yourself. I can't say that I've always known I could do it. There are times that you questions yourself and your fears can rob you of those powers. You have to go with your heart. Once it begins to not be fun, you need to stop because you must always love what you're doing."