Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with David Kelberashvili

David Kelberashvili shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi David, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: Who are you learning from right now?
I’m currently learning from my teacher, who is guiding me in ceramics and sculpting. Through this process, I’ve discovered a new passion and a completely new medium for my art. It’s exciting to explore how clay and form can carry emotion and storytelling in ways that are different from murals or illustration, and it’s opening up fresh possibilities in my creative journey.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a queer artist, born and raised in Tbilisi, Georgia. I graduated from the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts, Faculty of Graphic Design, but my true passion has always been creating art. Since childhood, I felt different from the other kids I found freedom in painting, a space where I could fully express myself.

Growing up in a religious family, in a country where homophobia is still deeply rooted, I couldn’t openly embrace or express my identity as a queer artist. That struggle eventually led me to leave Georgia a decision that was far from easy.

Now, having started a new life, I finally feel free: free to express myself, free to live authentically, and free to create art that speaks my truth. My inspiration comes from queer people and their stories their resilience, struggles, and beauty.

I’m a queer artist who works across different mediums, from large-scale murals to intimate illustrations. My practice is about storytelling and visibility I want my work to create spaces where people feel seen, celebrated, and connected. I love experimenting, whether that’s painting on a wall that transforms a public space or creating illustrations that carry quiet, personal narratives. Being queer is an important part of my identity and my art, and it deeply shapes how I approach creativity and community. Right now, I’m continuing to expand into new mediums and projects that challenge me, while also keeping my focus on making art that sparks joy, reflection, and dialogue.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
The relationship that shaped how I see myself the most is my relationship with my childhood loneliness. Growing up, I often felt like I didn’t fully fit in, and that sense of being apart from others became a big part of how I understood the world. It was painful at times, but it also pushed me toward creativity—art became the place where I could pour all those feelings and transform them into something alive and expressive. Loneliness gave me imagination, depth, and a sense of empathy for others who feel unseen. In many ways, it still fuels my work today, because I want my art to reach people who might be carrying those same feelings, and remind them they aren’t alone.

When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I stopped hiding my pain and started turning it into power when I met my queer family. Before that, I carried so much of it in silence, trying to manage it on my own. Meeting people who understood, who embraced me without judgment, and who celebrated queerness as something beautiful changed everything. They showed me that what I once thought of as weakness could actually be a source of strength, connection, and creativity. Through them, I learned that my story and even my struggles had value, and that gave me the courage to put that truth into my art.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What do you believe is true but cannot prove?
I believe that beneath it all, we are the same beyond country, race, religion, orientation, or skin. I cannot prove it with science, but I feel it in the quiet ways we connect, in the way we care, in the moments we recognize each other’s hearts. To me, the most essential truth is love and respect treating one another with kindness, seeing our shared humanity. When we hold that close, all other walls differences, labels, borders fade into the background.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I believe I’m doing what I was born to do. For a long time, I felt pressure to follow expectations or fit into certain paths, but art has always called me back it’s where I feel most alive, most truthful, most myself. I create because I need to, because it’s how I make sense of the world and share it with others. Every mural, every illustration, every piece I make is a part of the life I was meant to live, not one I was told to live.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kelberartstudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/david_kelber/