Daria Jabenko

My 2012 Calendar has been published! :)

2011-12-10T08:56:00.000-08:00

My beautiful readers, I finally published my limited edition calendars for 2012! I'm so happy and excited.
This is an amazing Christmas gift and it is filled with inspiration, love and joy.
This Calendar will inspire you and encourage to Dream BIG! I wrote a few lines for each month that inspire and invite you to expect miracles! It is now available on my Etsy shop.

Here are some pictures:

Friday Evening... Bookstore, Celebration, Wine and Jazz...

2011-11-18T12:12:00.000-08:00

It's getting colder and colder outside, it really feels like winter is around the corner and I'm so inspired to go to the bookstore tonight for at least half an hour and have a freshly brewed coffee, indulge flipping through the pages of the new books, and relax.

Today is a special day, it's been 15 years that I moved to Canada! It's going to be a night of celebration with wine, candles and jazz dancing! Really looking forward to start cooking my signature chicken! :)

Outside my window

2011-11-16T07:10:00.000-08:00

I have such a desire to curl under a cozy blanket next to my fireplace and enjoy a cup of lavender tea with French roses. It’s beautiful outside, leaves are slowly falling and dancing with the wind. It this perfect time of year to write down what you would like to let go of and release, just like trees let go of their leaves. They are getting ready for the winter season, beautiful time for dreaming and writing your wishes on paper and preparing yourself for spring blossom.

These are the pictures I took a few days ago in a park around my house.

Inspiring message from Design Thinkers Conference

2011-11-04T07:45:00.000-07:00

This week was so incredible, it was filled with lots of learning and inspiration. I had a chance to attend the Design Thinkers conference in Toronto where the brightest and the most talented designers presented their work and shared their thoughts on design, life and future. Jessica Hische particularly amazed me. She is so young and so talented; I could feel passion and inspiration flowing from her. She was sharing her life story, showing her beautiful work and sharing stories. What really touched me was when she said: when you have an idea, just get up and do it! Don’t wait until everything is ready for you to work. You have to work whenever you have a little bit of time, don’t waste your time. She gave some of her examples of how she was working at the beginning of her career. She had a job from 9 to 6, then went home and was working on her own and freelance projects till 3am!! Practically everyday! This really touched me; I could imagine how many beautiful things we could create if we only spent more of our time on bringing our ideas to life. For example, I’ve been thinking about creating a journal for years, it’s been sitting around for all this time.

After listening to her, I understood that when we get an idea, we need to rush and bring it to life. If you make a mistake, so what, you learn from it. Next time you do it, you’ll be so much better or otherwise, you’ll be standing at the same place for years. I feel like these waves of inspiration and wisdom touched me so much, I need to rethink my ways of working. I’m so happy that I’m going to have my own studio in a month. Believe it or not, I never had a studio!! Dreams come true. So I’ll be able to start working harder and spend more time on projects.

My suggestions to you, don’t wait, just get up and do it. Think of things that you’ve been postponing for so long, think of your big dreams, these goals that you are dreaming to achieve. You need to do work and bring them to life. I hope this message inspires you to rethink the way you work, the way you look at your work and encourages you to make this extra step towards your goals and dreams.

This season...

2011-10-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love this time of year, it is so magic and special to my heart. I love wearing warm sweaters and beautiful cashemere scarfs, wrap myself in a warm blanket and enjoy a freshly brewed chai latte in front of my fireplace. It feels so amazing, so heart warming. It feels like her majesty autumn is slowly becoming colder as is getting ready to embrace the winter season. Beautiful pumpkins are now everywhere making this time of year blossom. I really like this quote by Albert Camus "Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower".

I'm so inspired by this sweet burning aroma of the woods coming from the fireplaces. It makes me desire to paint and dream. Even if Christmas is not here yet, I can hear it slowly coming with tender whispers saying - I'm almost here. I'm inspired to attend the biggest Christmas choir performance here in Toronto, Messiah by Handel and various classical and ballet performances. Ah, so amazing.
Sending you lots of love.

What do you wish to make time for?

2011-10-19T12:03:00.000-07:00

What do you wish to make time for?

This is a question asked by Jamie Ridler Studios on Wishcasting Wednesday.

I just love Jamie’s questions, they are so deep and inspiring. It feels like they are filled with magic and sparkles.

I really wish to make time for so many beautiful things in my life. I wish to paint more, I have a desire to create a big painting and show azure shining sea that I’ve seen many times in my dreams. I wish to make time for reading more, I really feel that it is so important to read a lot… reading brings so many interesting ideas. I also wish to have more time each morning to do these amazing brazil exercises that I started a year a go and then stopped.

I desire to start making dream boards and writing in my journal. It really feels like time passes by so quickly and there are so many things I wish to fit in my calendar. I wish to attend performances, concerts and exhibitions, travel to Europe and get inspired by it’s beauty and charm.

I also feel that because the world is filled with so many interesting things, there will be always a time shortage as it’s impossible to do it all. I wish to make time for just relaxing and enjoying the moment.

Autumn days

2011-10-16T12:56:00.000-07:00

It can feel the freshness of the autumn breeze and the sweet scent of the fallen leaves and the burning woods in the fireplaces. This time of year inspires me so much, I feel that there is a sleepy and peaceful atmosphere all around me. This season is so magical. I am ready to embrace it and follow its flow. It's also a time of year that allows you to spend more time with ourselves and quietly think of our dreams and desires.

I encourage you to feel peaceful and quite in your heart. Enjoy the sweet scent of this season.

French Earrings

2011-09-26T07:50:00.000-07:00

Today, I've been walking around the old part of Nice and going inside different french boutiques. These earrings captured my heart and attention, I could not stop looking at them. It felt like they hold the beauty of the Mediterranean sea inside... They inspired me to think about a new series of illustrations called Marie Antoinette. I bought them from a charming French lady, they are now mine! :)

Today's inspiration

2011-09-25T13:23:00.000-07:00

Everyday moments can be so beautiful and special. Today, I've been sitting in my terrace, indulging a rose petal tea with lavender and admiring these incredible roses that I bought a week ago at the Flower Market. It was so peaceful, so quiet... only the singing of different kinds of birds could be heard from a distance. I've been drawing all day. I dream to create a lot of new illustrations and paintings. I dream to have my own exhibition...

My yesterday's walk in Nice, France

2011-09-21T01:04:00.000-07:00

My beautiful readers, I'm having the most amazing time here in France. I'm eating croissants and indulging French champaign and wine. The weather is gorgeous and the sea is like a dream... It feels home. Here are some photos that I took yesterday with my new camera that I bought especially for this trip.

This is a very famous umbrella boutique in Old Nice... it's absolutely marvellous.

I absolutely loved this boutique, it's is filled with gorgeous French style dresses and jewelry... it's a pearl.

This is one of the finest bakeries in Nice... the have the most delicious desserts and hot chocolate.

I as well, discovered this Au nom de la Rose boutique!!! They sell only roses, vases for the roses, desserts made out of roses, candles with rose perfume... It's all about Rose.

Trip to France!

2011-09-15T20:14:00.000-07:00

My beautiful readers, my heart is overwhelming with excitement and happiness. Tomorrow I'm going to Nice, France! I feel like writing I'm moving to France but for now I'm only going for a trip, at least that's what I think.

I started packing my big hats with flowers and pretty dresses with floral patterns. It feels so amazing...
I cannot wait to swim in a salty refreshing water filled with azure colour that reflects the beauty of the sky.

Winners are announced!

2011-09-07T16:57:00.000-07:00

I'm thrilled to announce the winners of my end of summer contest: Martin Newman and Elina Ellis! Congratulations! These winners won one of my beautiful matted signed prints. Stay tuned for more coming up contests and you will have a chance to win unique artwork. It's a real treat!

Desire to Inspire Contest!!!

2011-08-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

My beautiful readers, it’s already end of summer. It feels like it passed so quickly. I really enjoy this time of year, it feels like inspiration is in the air. I like wearing warm sweaters and scarves at night and walk around the park indulging the fragrance of early chrysanthemums.

To celebrate this time of year, I decided to create a contest! You can win my handmade greeting cards, prints on matts, journals or bookmarks! How exciting is this? :)

The names of the winners will be pulled randomly from a beautiful Italian hat!

All you have to do is:

1.Become my follower on my blog if you aren’t already.

2.Send me an email or comment on this blog post by answering a question: What inspires you? You can answer in one word or write an essay! Deadline: September 6.

The winners will be notified on September 7, 2011.

Cannot wait to ship my artwork to you!!

See below for some inspiring images!

Interview :)

2011-08-22T18:22:00.000-07:00

Hello my beautiful readers! I'm so excited, I've been interviewed this month by Illustrationweb. Click on the image to read the rest! :-)

Aux Champs d'Elysees...

2011-08-20T16:41:00.000-07:00

It is Saturday and it makes me so happy. Today, I painted for the entire day. I was so inspired by this autumn breeze from the lake, I could feel this beauty in the air. It's Champs d'Elysées. This place is absolutely magic and beautiful. It is filled with luxury and beauty. Fall is just around the corner and I hope to be able to go to Paris during this trip!

You can see gorgeous and elegant people walking, ladies with fashionable hats and gentleman with good manners... This is one of the beautiful photos by Bardot in Blue

You can see flowers everywhere in Paris...

My upcoming trip to France!

2011-08-14T12:18:00.000-07:00

I'm now sitting in the airport waiting for my flight to Richmond. My heart overflows with joy when I think that in a month, I'll be sitting in the same airport but flying to Nice, France. I cannot wait to smell the perfume of French Riviera, to indulge its charm and to fill my soul with inspiration and beauty.

It seems like my last trip to Nice was so long time ago... but when I close my eyes, I can see this place in its splendour and charm, as if I'm there.

On my first day, I am planning on buying a lot of roses, I love roses, there is something so unique and special about them. It is going to be a huge celebration of my return. I might buy a good camera before my trip so that I could take lots of breathtaking pictures.

This place is absolutely unique and heartwarming. I like everything about it.

Dreams

2011-08-13T12:08:00.000-07:00

Here is my new painting - San Jean Cap Ferrat dreams... I wanted to express my joy and happiness being in French Riviera. This place inspires me so much! I understand many artists who moved there like Picasso, Chagall, Matisse, etc. They moved there because of this beautiful colour and light. I dream to move there too, I feel that I'm going to paint so many more beautiful paintings while being inspired and captured by love and peace.

About the painting:Lilacs are filled with tenderness and spring atmosphere. These flowers are very special and unique. I feel like indulging a glass of Monbozilliac white wine on my beautiful terrace in San Jean Cap Ferrat overlooking the sea. Dream and Inspire, inhale beauty and exhale love and peace.

Inspiration

2011-08-09T11:16:00.000-07:00

I can feel inspiration all around me just by looking at this beautiful landscape, how it is illuminating peace and love. This lavender sky looks so royal and majestic, romantic and pure, relaxing and tender; I feel that I'm going to use this landscape for my next painting.

Giving gifts is a blessing

2011-08-09T08:19:00.001-07:00

I’m fascinated by how beautiful and charming gifts can be and how much joy and happiness they can bring. Gifts and presents create this special world of celebration and beauty in our lives. We associate gifts with events that are so special and dear to us. I’ve been thinking about it and realized that we can create these moments in our everyday, bring this magic of giving back without waiting for holidays. Let’s celebrate every moment in our lives by giving gifts to special people around us and ourselves.

Heavenly Morning

2011-07-31T07:08:00.000-07:00

Today, I woke up around 6a.m. and was amazed by this beautiful, heavenly light in my room. It felt like everything was covered with gold. I had to take a picture of it and I'm so glad I did. Here is one of my paintings from Heaven.

Inspiration and Stories

2011-07-27T12:19:00.000-07:00

I decided that I’m going to start writing. It will be different stories about each of my illustrations that will bring them to life in words. It might be abstract and surreal or dreamy and romantic. I might also describe my feelings while I was creating it.

Here is my first story:

French Riviera – Cote d’Azur is a very special place for me. I created this painting immediately following my first trip to Nice, France. I admired the abundance of Mimosa flowers both surrounding Nice and within the city limits. Its perfume filled every caffe and boutique, it was heavenly. The sweetness of the French pastries and Italian cappuccino highlighted this celebration of life.

Dreams of France

2011-07-19T13:26:00.000-07:00

Today I feel like indulging macarons. There is something so beautiful in these treats, something so special. It feels as if they are always ready for a celebration.

I want to paint my nails with different colours of the summer, climb on the Eifel Tower and sing “Plus je t’embrasse” up high. I miss France.

These beautiful photos have been taken by the beautiful Making Magique

So glad it's a Saturday.

2011-07-16T09:15:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy that today is a Saturday, a day when I can completely relax and celebrate every moment. I can drink my favourite tea with french roses, wear pajamas and paint. It's a special day, it's a treat :)

I'm very inspired by St. Jean Cap Ferrat in French Riviera... this place is like paradise on Earth. This week, I've been browsing photos of beautiful villas and South of France. Have a look at these beautiful pictures. I want to express this beauty in my newest painting that I started last week. I hope to finish it this weekend.

My newest bookmarks!

2011-06-29T07:32:00.000-07:00

A big gift, these beautiful bookmarks reached all the way through lots of thinking and dreaming. I created them, I love them and I can finally share with you my illustrations printed on products!

Here is my newest collection of beautiful bookmarks. Each is unique with beautifully written uplifting words and has a ribbon attached to it. I'm sure that these bookmarks will make your reading experience even more pleasant and heavenly. They are going to be available on my Etsy Shop this week. Each bookmark is blessed with love, joy and inspiration.

Upcoming Stationery Products!!

2011-06-19T12:29:00.000-07:00

For these past days, I've been preparing beautiful packaging for my new products which are going to become available soon! I'm going to have posters, prints on canvas, magnets, postcards, greeting cards and inspirational wall art! I'm so excited about this new line and looking forward to sharing it with you.
Here is a sneak peak to my packaging and art.

My first products are available!

2011-06-15T17:44:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy to share with you my first products. I've never used my illustrations to create products and always dreamed about it. Today, my mousepads arrived and it was such a pleasure unpacking them!
Every mousepad is unique. I presently have only 1 to 2 of each and they are all available on my Etsy shop.

This gorgeous mousepad reminds you to celebrate each day because every day is a celebration! It helps you to be thankful for what you have and enjoy it. Something magic happens when you start celebrating everyday, it's like you are opening the door to more beautiful things to come your way.

You are unique, special and loved. Celebrate who you are.

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This beautiful mousepad reminds you to expect miracles. It's very important to know that miracles are happening all around us and if we expect them, they start happening to us. It's like we tune in to them.

This wonderful gift wrapped with roses and petals is a symbol of miracles and blessings. If you look closely, there is a golden fountain in the background which symbolizes your biggest dreams. Everything is possible when you believe and have faith. Don't ever get discouraged, expect great things and they will come because God loves you.

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This unique mousepad reminds you to be always filled with joy. I bless you with an abundance of joy and positivity. Open yourself to light, love and beauty. Life is beautiful and is filled with amazing things. These fruits represent prosperity, happiness, abundance, love and joy.

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This romantic mousepad fills you up with the feelings of love. It reminds you that love is all around us, romance is in the air... Fly with the wings of love!

Heavenly beauty

2011-05-27T17:10:00.000-07:00

Flowers are special, they mirror beauty and love in their petals and perfume. I find that when I put fresh flowers on my desk, everything transforms and starts shining. There is something so romantic and magic in them that makes our lives more beautiful.

I’m so inspired by their colours and shapes.. I can see so many illustrations coming to life just by looking at them. Here are some images that I love.

Dancing beauty

2011-05-23T15:01:00.000-07:00

For several days, I've been listening to Chopin's beautiful music. It feels like a dream, like a divine dance in my heart. Every single note has its own feeling, story and dream. I have such a desire to create something so beautiful, so heavenly... so many things I want to draw, to express. It feels like my heart is overflowing with diamonds and pearls. Each diamond is a divine feeling, an expression, an illustration.

I really like this image of a young lady dancing. I feel like I'm like her, dancing like music and soaring like a swan in the Heavens.

I haven't been writing in my blog for so long and miss it so much. So many beautiful things have happened in my heart for the past months and today is the day of my new artistic journey.

Finding inspiration all around..

2011-04-14T15:51:00.000-07:00

Fly.. Dream... Believe... Get Inspired..

Inspiration surrounds us all the time. It can be found early in the morning by drinking a freshly brewed coffee or tea sparkled with some rose petals. It can be seen in a sunrise like a sparkling gift that fills our hearts with joy. Where do you find inspiration in your everyday life?

The Man in Love

2011-02-27T12:57:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, I had a chance to go to Jonathan Biss' piano concert.. I was sitting just in front of him on the first raw. It was such an unforgettable experience, it felt like time stopped and the waves of divine beauty filled my heart. I could see him playing Beethoven.. he could feel every single note in his body. I almost had tears, it was so profound, so beautiful and divine.

Yesterday, I had such a desire to start a new illustration without doing any sketch; at first, I had no idea what this illustration is going to be like. It all began with lemons, then roses.. and then I could hear the beautiful music being born in this illustration. I drew these hands and then the piano.. It feels like a song. I called it: "The Man in Love"

Love...

2011-01-30T15:26:00.000-08:00

He is in love with her from the first sight...

His heart is overflowing with love.

He gives her the rose of his heart and invites her to visit his palace..

Inspiration...

2011-01-30T15:23:00.000-08:00

I would like to share with you these beautiful photographs of flowers. I find these images so inspiring, so beautiful and divine..

How my art is created...

2010-12-05T07:03:00.001-08:00

My beautiful friend Skasia (Ksenia Sapunkova) created this movie to unveil a little bit how my illustrations are created.

Skasia

Blue Moon Illustration

2010-11-13T10:52:00.000-08:00

Here is my new illustration, it's called "Blue Moon".

Sweet Gallery Animation!! :)

2010-11-09T13:20:00.001-08:00

Words are like delicate petals..

2010-11-07T18:43:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting in my room, drinking lavender tea and hugging my poetry journal. It is so beautiful, and it feels like pages are talking to my heart. As I'm turning the pages, I feel that there is a story, there is music and divine lyrics that still have to be written... beautiful paintings that still have to be painted. Words fill our hearts with love like this unforgettable perfume, words are like these delicate petals..

Make it Magical! Christmas Tesco Magazine Issue

2010-11-01T15:35:00.000-07:00

I had a pleasure to work with Tesco Magazine team in London. It was such a blessing to illustrate magical Christmas illustrations.

My new animation: Signature Vacations!

2010-10-31T18:17:00.000-07:00

My Trip to France

2010-10-19T05:36:00.000-07:00

I had the most incredible trip filled with inspiration, romance and beauty. France is my dream place, I love this country and I've been so blessed to spend five weeks there. It is filled with history, culture, amazing people, delightful atmosphere and inspiring architecture. I had a pleasure to travel around French Riviera and it was absolutely fantastic to discover treasures of its beauty everywhere I went. This trip has deeply touched my heart and I am looking forward to amazing things that are in store. I am going to paint more and I feel that my style has been influenced a lot by French culture. I will take pictures of my sketchbook and share with you my story. Sending you lots of love from Canada.

Divine Appointment

2010-10-12T14:23:00.000-07:00

She is sitting on a soft sofa wrapped up in warm pajamas..

She is not here. She is flying with him.

She is wearing a silk dress.

...

Monaco Charm

2010-09-24T08:11:00.000-07:00

I haven't had a lot of opportunity to draw from life these days as I've working on my Christmas Project a lot but a few days ago, I had a chance to go to Monaco and indulge its atmosphere and beauty. It is such an incredible place filled with beautiful people, luxurious houses, yachts, museums and gardens. Being there - feels like another world. I wanted to capture that feeling in my sketchbook and this is what I came up with.

La belle Nice

2010-09-17T12:50:00.000-07:00

I am now having an incredible time in Nice, France. This place is absolutely divine and unique filled with inspiration, elegance and history. What a beautiful place to live in and create marvellous illustrations... Being here is very inspiring.
This week I've been relaxing a lot, working on my Christmas project and drawing a little bit in my sketchbook. Next week, I really want to visit Chagall's exhibition and go to Matisses' villa. I am going to take my sketchbook with me everywhere I go and then scan various sketches and illustrations to show you.

The World of Tiffany & Co.

2010-09-10T12:21:00.000-07:00

We all know Tiffany & Co. by its fashionably romantic blue box which carries an unforgettable moment that will last a lifetime... Every time I think of Tiffany & Co., I think of a celebration of love, beauty, elegance and charm... I decided to create an illustration that will kind of capture its essence and energy.

France!

2010-09-09T11:12:00.000-07:00

I feel the wind of inspiration coming as time approaches to my trip to France. I am so excited about it.. I am going to take my sketchbook, watercolour paper, coloured pencils, markers, gold, gouache and watercolour with me! I'm also going to take my favourite books that inspire me so much as I'm planning on drawing in my Moleskine so much and taking it with me no matter where I go.. this way I'll be able to illustrate vivid moments and places that talk to my soul. I just created this illustration that shows French Delights as a starter. Can't wait to share with you my upcoming French Illustrations!! :)

Pure Love

2010-09-03T19:02:00.000-07:00

There is only one kind of love, it is pure, divine and holy. It is the highest form of feelings that we can ever experience. Love is the most important feeling that makes our souls alive. Love has the highest vibrational frequency and more we are tuned in to it, more we feel it. There is something so strong that has been happening in my heart this past year, I feel that I am capable of feeling this love on a higher level than ever before.

When you find that special person with whom you want to spend your life with, you can exerience an indescribable feeling of love. This illustration reflects this love, they found each other and are so in love. Life is filled with flowers and their life journey is a miracle.

Travel Illustrations

2010-08-29T10:46:00.000-07:00

I would like to share with you my newest illustrations. All these illustrations were created in my sketchbook using coloured pencils and markers. It was so interesting to create them as I didn't do any preliminary sketches. I absolutely love this new technique and I have a strong desire to update my portfolio with this style. I find it more modern and trendy. Your comments are very appreciated!! :))

Love Letters...

2010-08-24T17:21:00.000-07:00

If I had to live my life without you near me
The days would all be empty
The nights would seem so long
With you I see forever oh so clearly
I might have been in love before
But it never felt this strong
Our dreams are young
And we both know they'll take us
Where we want to go
Hold me now
Touch me now
I don't want to live without you
Nothing's gonna change my love for you
You ought know by now how much I love you
One thing you can be sure of
I'll never ask for more than your love
Nothing's gonna change my love for you
You ought know by now how much I love you
The world may change my whole life through
But nothing's gonna change my love for you
If the road ahead is not so easy,
Our love will lead the way for us
Like a guiding star
I'll be there for you if you should need me
You don't have to change a thing
I love you just the way you are
So come with me and share the view
I'll help you see forever too
by Glenn Medeiros

New Wave of Creativity

2010-08-21T17:56:00.000-07:00

It is so heart warming being inside a cozy apartment, drinking French Provence tea with petals and dreaming about life. These past days, I've been feeling as if something important has happened in my creative life. As you remember from my previous posts, I've been searching for a new wave, for a new touch. I was looking here and there and yet could not find it. I could feel sometimes this new style coming so close, yet I could not express it on paper. Two days ago, my dream came to pass.
It was a beautiful morning and after having my morning tea, I decided to go to the bookstore and draw with my newly bought coloured pencils. When I got in the store, I had an urging desire to buy a new Moleskine Sketchbook! even though I already had one. I could feel that something very important is going to happen in my life. So I bought it, got some inspiring books and found a quite seat. As I was flipping through the pages of these books, I could feel through the pages this inspiration coming. I started drawing, not like I used to draw before (first the sketch with graphite, then transfer to a good paper) - no, I started drawing with a gold marker! :) It was so new to me. Then colours came to my mind.. I started drawing and drawing. So in these past days, I can clearly see my new style and I would like to share it with you.

My new creative life

2010-08-16T20:49:00.000-07:00

My dearest readers, I would like to share with you my newest illustration and also what's been happening in my creative life. I've recently started creating an art journal, it is basically a journal filled with inspiration, thoughts and dreams. As I was creating collages, I was thinking about what's deep inside my heart and I could feel that there is a strong desire, need to work on my style and come up with new ways of expressing myself. As you noticed, all my ladies and gentlemen have their eyes closed... and that's how I used to illustrate for years. Something is happening deep inside of me and I have a strong desire to open their eyes. This is my first illustration that has a lady with her eyes wide open. I think it's very symbolic and spiritual. As if a new wave of creativity and life came inside my heart. All I want is to catch it and express it on paper.

Bliss

2010-08-09T09:22:00.000-07:00

Inspiration

2010-08-08T16:00:00.000-07:00

There is water that flows on us from Heaven. It brings us hope, It brings us love.
Then, you fly away and you will never be the same. I am inspired, I am amazed.
When I feel inspiration is as if I touch Heaven. The feelings are so deep.

Sometimes I wonder, if only I could capture this feeling like a photograph, how would my paintings be...

Blissful Moment...

2010-08-07T12:03:00.000-07:00

We can find beauty all around us, it just depends on how we look at things. A few days ago, I bought so many apricots and was thinking of baking a pie. They were all scattered around me on a round wooden table and I could feel their sweetness in the air. I could feel inspiration coming while I was drinking coffee and searching for the right recipe.

I think that we can have so many blissful moments in life, we just need to notice them and record in our memory. This way these moments will pile up and create a blissful life.

Nashville Love illustration

2010-08-05T07:30:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love divine desserts. I like flipping through the pages of inspiring books and drinking freshly brewed coffee. I like tea with rose petals...

I would like to share with you my newest illustration that I created for a Nashville Magazine. This is going to be the cover page of Nashville's events calendar. I was inspired to make it very elegant and divine.

This illustration reflects romance, seduction and beauty. They are in deeply in love and despite all the crowd around them, they fly away on the wings of love. This illustration reflects their first dance. They barely know each other, yet they are in love. They've been waiting this moment since they were born, dreaming about.

He said: "I've been waiting you all my life."

Books that Inspire

2010-07-26T10:28:00.001-07:00

Inspiration

2010-07-23T21:25:00.000-07:00

It's already passed midnight and I'm sitting next to my computer, full of inspiration and ideas. Tonight was another beautiful night with my best friend Ksenia Sapunkova. We went to the bookstore together to discover inspiration and we did. We found this amazing book called "Difining Luxury" by Jeffrey Bilhuber. I got so much inspiration and now my eyes are closing but my soul longs to create new illustrations that would reflect that deep beauty contained in this marvellous book. I could not resist and I bought this book so that I could hold it close to my heart and tune in to the flow. I will create a podcast next week about this book and will flip through the pages to show you its beauty. Stay tuned. :)

Mademoiselle Chanel Illustration

2010-07-19T09:22:00.000-07:00

There is this beautiful lady - mademoiselle. She is very delicate and tender, in other words she is like a flower. When she is walking down the streets of France, there is this mystery that spreads around her like a cloud.

My Process of Creating Illustrations

2010-07-16T13:58:00.000-07:00

The Color of Love

2010-07-10T18:05:00.000-07:00

Did this ever happen to you that you walk inside a bookstore and right away see that perfect book that was waiting for you for so long? You open it and your heart starts beating with so much excitement while your eyes dance through the pages. This is what happened to me yesterday, after a long day I decided to have a walk. I live very close to a very nice street fool of cafe shops, bookstores and restaurants. While I was walking, I could feel that something so beautiful is waiting for me. I went inside a bookstore (it is a very special bookstore as initially it was built as a theater and only few years ago it has been slightly redesigned as a bookstore but the stage and balconies have been kept as they were.)

The moment I entered, my eyes fell on that special book called: The Color of Love. I was so amazed by the title of this book as Love is something so precious to me, something so deep, something so special that I try to express in all my illustrations and paintings. This book was filled with beautiful poems by various famous poets and writers such as: Rumi, Solomon, Shakespeare and many others. All the poems were describing love in a different way and the text was written by hand with a gold paint. I think that by getting this book, I've been moved to a higher level of creativity. Something so deep inside of me is happening, I don't know if it's the early stage of inspiration or a deep longing to express love. We'll see. I feel that I've been painting so many illustrations on the theme of love and now I'm at this point when I am overwhelmed with love. I feel love everywhere around me, everywhere I turn, I feel love.

I really liked this poem in this book by Rumi:

Happy the moment when we are seated in the palace, thou and I,
With two forms and with two figures but with one soul, thou and I.
The colours of the grove and the voice of the birds will bestow immortality
At the time when we come into the garden, thou and I.
The stars of heaven will come to gaze upon us; We shall know them the moon itself, thou and I. Thou and I, individuals no more, shall be mingled in ectasy, Joyful, and secure from foolish babble, thou and I.
All the bright-plumed birds of heaven will devour their hearts with envy
In the place where we shall laugh in such a fashion, thou and I.
This is the greatest wonder, that thou and I, sitting here in the same nook,
Are at this moment both in Persia and Khorasan, thou and I.

Promenade des Anglais, Nice, Cote d'Azur - French Riviera

2010-07-09T07:50:00.000-07:00

Recently, I went to Nice, France and my heart was touched by beauty, elegance and style. Palm trees, oranges, flowers, aristocracy, history, wine, cheese, sea, French Provence and vacation - these are the
words that highlight Nice.

This coastline was one of the first modern resort areas. It began as a winter health resort for the British upper class at the end of the 18^th century. Nice became the playground and vacation spot of British, Russian, and other aristocrats, such as Queen Victoria and King Edward VII.

Promenade des Anglais is very famous in French Riviera and is lined with cafes and hotels, both modern and Belle Epoque, museums and luxury apartments, the Promenade des Anglais is a long wide road which runs the length of the seafront at Nice. You walk across it and you're on the beach beside an unbelievably turquoise Mediterranean sea.

I decided to create my first illustration of the Cote d'Azur series by showing the romantic side of Promenade des Anglais. I called this illustration: Rendezvous, Promenade des Anglais. This illustration reflects love at first sight and expresses beauty.

Promenade des Anglais, Nice, French Riviera

Illustration: Rendezvous, Promenade des Anglais created by Daria Jabenko (July, 2010)

New Paintings

2010-07-06T11:22:00.000-07:00

My update about my new painting.

All about Love illustrations

2010-07-06T07:33:00.000-07:00

So here I am, full of inspiration to create illustrations about love. It's like in that song, lets talk about love and for me its lets illustrate love :)
I would like to share with you my latest illustration that I just finished.
Love is so mysterious, so delicate and tender.

About my new series of illustrations "LOVE"

2010-07-02T12:33:00.001-07:00

"I will look into your eyes and say: I love you"

2010-06-29T16:28:00.000-07:00

I was so inspired to create a new set of illustrations. Few days ago, I was walking around the city and went inside a small scrap booking store. I could feel something so special happening in my heart. The moment I entered in, I immediately saw this beautiful magazine called: "Art Journaling". I was amazed... I couldn't stop flipping through, it was very inspiring and I could feel that I'm on the verge of a new wave of ideas.

I decided to create a set of illustrations that would capture my feelings, like an art journal where feelings and thoughts are described and a vivid moment is captured.

How to Succeed as an Illustrator

2010-06-29T12:01:00.000-07:00

Learn how to succeed as an illustrator because lots of exciting projects are waiting for you!
In these podcasts, I'm sharing with you my experience. I know how hard it is to start a career in illustration when nobody knows about you. But guess what, it's so exciting to start doing what you love! I suggest you to watch these podcasts, one by one and take as much as you can. These steps that I'm sharing are very simple and important. I will post more podcasts about these topics soon. Also, feel free to contact me and suggest a theme that you would like me to talk about and I'll gladly present it to you in a form of an exciting podcast.