I Have Wings Too, 2019
Dasha Pears

Story & Message
This work is a part of the project shot in collaboration with the tourist board of Old Porvoo, one of the most charming little towns in Finland. In the project, we were telling a story of a girl, who lives in Porvoo and places that are special to her, like the ancient church that you can see behind her in this image. The black origami birds symbolize dreams, hope, and the sense of freedom that her heart is filled with right now. In addition, real blackbirds flying around the church are a part of this major sight of Porvoo, they are always there, kind of like pigeons at the main square of Venice and people come to watch them all the time.

From my project "Life of Folds"
Origami is an art of turning a plain sheet of paper into practically any shape. The transformation of a piece of paper into virtually anything made me think of how we as humans tend to turn plain facts and life situations into positive or negative ones when we react to them emotionally.

In this series, origamis represent emotions which can sometimes be overwhelming, drive you in some direction, make you act a certain way. You can’t fight them. If you try, you will fail. So many of us have unresolved emotions from our childhood that drag us down and turn into miserable human beings. You can only be at peace with yourself when you acknowledge these emotions, observe them, let them be and pass through you.

Limited Original Edition museum-quality print on Hahnemühle Bamboo Paper, signed and numbered, with a certificate of authenticity.

Available in sizes:
50x50cm (19.7 x 19.7 in.) - 12
70x70cm (27.6 x 27.6 in.) - 8
100x100cm (39.4 x 39.4 in.) - 5
120x120cm (42.1 x 42.1 in.) - 3

All unframed prints have a 3cm (1.2 inch) border and are signed on the front and on the back.
​
You’re about to take one of my works and give it a new home. And this is what I want to share with you.

My art is not for everyone. It won’t conquer the masses. But it speaks to people who value emotional connection, like to think, and want to see other realities and perspectives behind mundane things.

My works reflect my journey from an artistically curious little girl, who was fascinated by everything unusual but had troubles fitting in, to a woman who found a way to express herself and to fully embrace who she is. My art allowed me to understand that there’s nothing impossible in life and that we have the power to create our own reality: do what we love, surround ourselves with the right people, and feel the things we want to feel. Now I want to pass this discovery on to you so that you always know that anything is possible.

What my art is about?

I explore the topics of emotions, relationships, self-discovery, and redefining oneself. Each photograph that you see here will take you on a journey into a character’s soul and at the same time, probably, will make you think of the events and things in your life that impacted you the most and maybe turned out to be life-changing.

What kind of feeling does it bring to your home?

Peace and tranquility. Strength and confidence. A grain of melancholy. With a bit of a whim, mystery, and fantasy. It will always be a gentle and quiet reminder that nothing is what it seems and you should always go deeper to perceive the true meaning.

How I work

I choose muted tones, strictly organized compositions, clean minimalistic spaces, and lots of symbolism to convey my ideas. Each visual story here has a definite plot but is always open to interpretation.

My Process

Each photo takes from 1 week to several months of planning and preparations: thinking through the story and the plot, planning the color scheme, sketching, scouting for locations, creating the props, choosing the suitable wardrobe, looking for the right makeup and hairstyle looks and then blending it all together. In most cases, a whole team is involved in the shooting process. I never use stock imagery to create my art, I shoot all the details myself right there on location. After the shooting is done, post-processing of a single image takes on average 5-7 hours in Lightroom and Photoshop.

About Prints

I choose the most eco-friendly and sustainable materials to create my prints because I care for the world we live in. All the works are printed on museum-quality Hahnemühle Bamboo FineArt paper (290 gsm, 90% bamboo fibers, 10% cotton) and are Giclée prints with life expectancy up to 200 years. All fine art prints are hand-signed by me (on the front and on the back) and come with a certificate of authenticity. All unframed prints have a 3cm (1.2 in.) border.