When Art Begins to Speak: My First Fair Experience

Once a painting is finished, it begins a life of its own. Its voice no longer belongs to me, but to those who are willing to feel it.

The Other Art Fair, Chicago — the first time I exhibited my work to the public.

Opening Reflections

This past weekend, I experienced something I had postponed for years—I participated in my very first art fair. It was the first time I opened my work to the public. For a long time, I held onto my paintings tightly. They felt like intimate extensions of myself, and I wasn’t ready to let them go. Each one held the emotions I lived through while creating it.

But recently, something shifted. It felt like a calling: “Daria, it’s time. Let your work meet the world. Let it speak.” And it was the right call.

I had the honor of exhibiting at The Other Art Fair in Chicago, which turned out to be one of the most successful editions for the organizers—and for me, it brought an overwhelming crowd and countless meaningful conversations. As I shared the stories behind my paintings and listened to how people felt in front of them, something extraordinary happened: I began to understand my own art in new ways.

The Iris as a Vessel

I never set out to become a botanical artist. The iris became my chosen subject almost intuitively—a vessel to create a doorway into a world of beauty and emotion. In the beginning, painting was an escape. A way to slow down, to reconnect with myself. Later, it became a way to experience emotions I wasn’t always able to access in daily life.

But at the fair, I discovered that my art has grown beyond me. For some viewers, my work offered a moment of calm and reflection. For others, it stirred something deeper—a memory, a personal truth, or even a spiritual insight. One painting sparked clarity. Another, softness. Another, courage.

I was in awe of how accurately people could feel what each painting was saying—often without me needing to explain. That’s when I understood: once a painting is finished, it begins a life of its own.

A Living Dialogue

Every time I return to one of my works, it speaks differently to me. It’s never the same conversation. I’ve come to believe that my role is not to control the message, but to listen. To refine my technique, to remain open, to follow my intuition—and to act as a messenger.

The Call of Beauty

One phrase I heard over and over again during the fair was: “Your art is so beautiful.” That word—beauty—stayed with me.

Because years ago, my grandmother told me: “If you want to change the world, start with yourself.”

And beauty, I believe, is a way to begin. When something is beautiful, it opens us. It invites us inward. And perhaps that is the role of art—to reveal the beauty that already lives inside us, and to help us recognize it in others.

Our inner worlds are endlessly rich. If we allow ourselves to feel, to dwell in emotion—not rush through it—it always leads to strength. To clarity. To growth.

Final Thought

Art does not impose. It invites. And I’m grateful to have finally opened the door.