C-Heads Magazine interview

Today, I had an interview published in C-Heads Magazine's culture section. Thanks Sigi!!
You can read the interview on C-Heads Mag here.

It is a sea of colours, shapes, faces, city moments, animals and lovely enchanted details that take you onto a journey back to lovely childhood memories and current daydreams. The illustrations of London based Polish artist Martyna Zoltaszek inspire the viewer´s curiosity and exalt their imagination – and are a wonderful eye and soul candy…

Your illustrations and paintings are so beautiful, colourful and transmit a very positive, cheerful feeling. Does your personality show a lot through your art?
Ah, thanks a lot. Artist’s personality, or whatever is currently on their mind, will always show in their art to a certain extent. It can be a pickle. Trying to illustrate a scary short-story while in a great mood or painting a colourful dynamic piece when low and tired, can prove a real challenge! I definitely am a gleeful optimist, and found it really interesting that you can read it from my works.
You are inspired a lot by nature and music and urban scenes- what was the last song that inspired you?
Totally – buzz of the city and tranquility of nature inspire me at the same time, isn’t that weird? And I need music in my bloodstream to be able to create. If battery goes flat on my phone and I don’t have a radio handy – I pack up my toys and call it a day in the studio. The song I currently cannot get out of my head is Awolnation’s ‘Sail’. I have recently rediscovered Depeche Mode and have been listening to Daft Punk a lot for the last couple of weeks, love them for energy kick.
You also have some portraits of Frida Kahlo. I am a big fan of Frida myself. Is she someone that inspires you a lot?
Yes, I adore her. She’s always my answer to ‘If you could invite anyone, dead or living to your dinner party, who would it be?’ When I was a kid, I stumbled upon a book with Kahlo’s art. I must have browsed it a thousand times. She has been a real influence to me since then. Not only her art is incredible, she was also a charismatic, empowered woman, who didn’t care for a minute what the world thinks. And she was hungry for life.
What do you hope to achieve with your work within the next years?
World domination of course..
Originally you are from Poland, but you have travelled a lot and you live in London now. Do you still bear a lot of relation to your homecountry and do you think you will ever return to live there?
UK is my home now and I am loving it here. The world has become so small and accessible; I do not need to live in Poland to feel connected to it. Two hours on the plane, that’s all. I do go back quite often in fact, spend some good time with family and friends, stuff my face with Polish pierogi and fly back with a suitcase full of Polish kielbasa lovingly packed by my mum! Some of my illustration commissions come from Poland. I don’t think I’ll ever be going back for good. Although Poland is a fantastic country to live in, full of hospitable people and down to earth attitude, there are many more opportunities for artists in the UK.
Your favourite place in London?
The backstreets off Charlotte Street (where I get lost looking for the hidden away little arty shops and vintage bookstores, and then waste hours browsing stuff). My favourite café in Dalston (where I order a huge cup of coffee, sink into my favourite sofa which happens to be very comfy, despite the few out-of-order springs, and do illustration work.)
5 things you cannot live without?
My world domination progress map
Coffee (must be with a chocolate or biscuit, otherwise, what’s the point?)
Notebook & pencil for writing down ideas on the go and random sketches.
My music player and headset that blocks outside noise
My laptop and drawing tablet
As a child you always wanted to be?
A princess, or a vet, or an artist, it had to be one of the three. As I was living in then communist state, I had to go through a reality check and ruled out the princess option. I did want to be a vet for a long time afterwards as I absolutely adore animals. The passion for art took over in the end, but it has influenced my art a lot.