Paul Slava

Born and raised in Cleveland, OH. Played in bands since age 14. Attended the Cleveland Institute of Art and started working in commercial Art and advertising. Moved to FL in 1991 and started my own graphic art and advertising business all the while pursuing fine art. Moved to St. Augustine in 2011 where I was a co-founder of the Art Studio of St. Augustine Beach. I am the current president of the Art Galleries of St. Augustine (AGOSA), an organization made up of artists, art galleries, and museums. I’ve raised four beautiful and talented children and continue to call St. Augustine Beach my home.

Katherine Slava

Hello, my name is Katherine Slava and I am a local artist here in St. Augustine, Florida.

I feel like I have always tried to be involved in art ever since I was young, as I was born in Miami and lived in Hollywood, FL-- I was always surrounded by beautiful art, and culture.

Whether it was architecture such as our Arts Park in Hollywood that I frequented as a kid, or even sculpture, as I would often gaze at the glass blowers at the Young Circle who would put on little shows for any passersby peeking into their studio. And even when we moved to St. Augustine, my dad took on the Art Studio and I immediately wanted to be involved as well.

I know it sounds a little cliche but my dad really influenced me to truly love and appreciate art. He always supported my choices and made me confident even when I was only 8 years old and staring at a canvas, no clue what I was doing, I just dove in and painted what I saw. Of course later on I had teachers that also really pushed me to use all my abilities and apply them. I would enter various contests and try to involve my art in the city, even as a child in Hollywood-- and continue to do so in St. Augustine. (My dad can explain the art events we participated in, back down in South Florida and here).

If I had to describe or explain what art is, I would say it is like a feeling. More than just a "oh this is pretty" but it is like this completion you feel-- at least I do, when I look at a piece I spent hours or days on and really just step back and go "it has received just enough brush strokes to deem it finished by my standard". And that is the thing too, art or paintings are never actually finished, they are just stopped when the artist decides it has had enough. It is completely decided by your eyes, and you ultimately have control of that-- whether it is "done" or not. I know there is all kinds of art out there, abstract and messy, or refined and real-- and it is all art.

I feel that art should be invoking-- it should invoke something in you. Whenever I look at art, as an artist, I imagine the artist of that particular piece working on it, and all the feelings they put into it, the stress, the aggravation when something did not look the way they wanted it too so they had to backtrack. The joy when they step back and go "ah, YES that is what I was looking for" the odd satisfaction when something comes together in a way they were not picturing.

There are so many emotions that go into it so I would hope it brings some out in any viewer.