I was introduced to Lika Brutyan’s work while working on another blog post on Embody Your Muse - Creative Spotlight: Masha D’yans! Lika took Masha’s feature photo, and I fell in love immediately with her imagination and creativity.

Lika has a careful, trained eye for photography - coupled with a unique style - that definitely shows in her photos. I have a great appreciation for her work, and am rather excited to share it with you!

What does Creativity mean to you?

Creativity for me is not a way of eventually finding who I am, but rather a continuous expression of my current self. At least one part of myself.

How do you expand yourself creatively?

I keep doing what I like. Creative growth is a by-product of this process.

Were you creative as a child? If so, how have you evolved through the years? Did anyone encourage you, especially?

Every child is creative. One of my biggest pleasures is observation of children; the way they think, the way they do, the way they play. And yes, I loved to paint, to make figures from papers and I loved working with clay. I remember and miss the feeling of wet clay in my hands.

Embody Your Muse - Lika Brutyan — Embody Your Muse - Lika Brutyan

What inspires you most?

I’m a very easily-inspired person. I simply get inspired by the feeling of being inspired and by being blessed to have an ability to love.

Everything around me can be inspiring. People, nature, music, poetry, paintings etc. When I think deeper about it, I realize that one of the strongest influences which can be seen in my work is probably that of film and cinematography.

What turns you on creatively?

The desire to experiment and to capture.

Do you have any gratefulness practices?

If we are talking about gratefulness in a meaning of pleasing of the mind or senses - it’s satisfaction experiencing during the creative process.

Do you daydream often? If so, does it inform your work?

I’m a dreamer. I daydream too much . Sometimes it makes me angry.

Is there a Creative, past or present, that you would give just about anything to work with? Who, and why?

I would love to work with Sara Moon, have long conversations around coffee with Helmut Newton, be close friends and work with Henri-Cartier Bresson, and be an assistant for Richard Avedon. Those are the ones who inspire me in photography the most.

How do you balance life and art effectively? Or, do you?

I can’t always be available for myself. There was a time when I was really getting frustrated by the fact that I can’t shoot whenever I want. Then, I just accepted the fact that if something is going to happen, it will happen anyway. Sooner or later.

How do you deal with creative dry spells? Do you make space for them, or push through?

I don’t like to force and push. I just keep living and waiting for the right moment.

How does criticism affect you?

I find it helpful. Even if I disagree, it’s always interesting to hear another opinion, another point of view.

How important is self compassion to your creative process?

I can’t tell about self compassion. However, I know one thing for sure. At the very beginning, photography was my therapy. It was my way of escape.

Do you enjoy collaborating, or prefer to work alone?

I enjoy collaborations, but there are times when I just have to stay and work by myself.

Do you work in a studio/space designed specifically for your creativity, or on the spur of the moment/anywhere inspiration strikes?

When I need a studio for a specific upcoming project, I design one at home. Otherwise, it’s all about catching a moment of inspiration.

Do you plan thoroughly for projects, or go with the flow?

It depends on what I shoot. As I said before, if it’s about catching the moment, I go with the flow. If I have a specific vision of what I want to do, I often go through detailed planning in order to bring it to reality. I’m very expressive, and I am thankful to my team who endure my pickiness and attention to detail.

Do you utilize social media? If so, how?

I love instagram ( http://instagram.com/ulikula/), check it out :)

Do you believe art can change the world? If so, how?

Everything changes the world. And the same time, nothing is really changing.

Do you surround yourself on a daily basis with creative, inspiring people?

I’m surrounded by faith, family, friends, nature, and beloved people. I’m lucky to have all these sources of inspiration.

What effect do you want your art to have on the world?

I never think about it. I just do because i love to. I don't take myself as a serious photographer. I'm more serious about my passion to take pictures. It is like oxygen--it is something without which I hardly imagine my life.

I am often asked what a good photograph is for me, without referring to the artistic value or professional performance, etc, In my opinion, a good, successful photograph is one that "wakes you up" and makes you look at it again and again; one in which there is movement and one which makes you feel and think. For me, photography is not a static art. I see no static even in the "frozen" picture or frame. Something that catches you, moves something inside of you, and makes you feel cannot be called static. Each frame is a piece of a story that has a past, and continues to move forward. This is something that your eye captures at this moment. And,in any story there is no such thing as "the end." For me, there is no such thing as "the end." And that’s the whole beauty of it.

What music, if any, plays while you work? What are you listening to at this very moment?

The music I like; jazz, soul ,neo- soul, funk , fusion, classical.