Meet Masha Sheinina

We were lucky to catch up with Masha Sheinina recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Masha, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

I taught middle school biology for a decade, and it really taught me to trust and enjoy the learning process. When students told me they were frustrated and confused when learning, I would tell them that it means that they are doing it right, because challenging yourself is frustrating and confusing. As it turns out I was right, and I learned to be comfortable in feeling frustrated, and even lean into it. This applied to pushing myself artistically and in terms of my career goals. I don’t think I have work ethic, as much as I have learned to enjoy work and challenging myself.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

Currently I am working towards my MFA in Art at California Institute of the Arts. I work primarily in ceramic sculpture and am interested in various ways of depicting bodies, whether it’s figurative, through mythology and folklore, metaphorical vessels or other methods. I use my art practice to challenge my understanding of the outside world, as well as to make sense of my own interior world. As I complete the MFA program, I am working on my thesis show at CalArts, the reception for which will be on March 20. I also have a piece in the upcoming “All Things Equal” show at Good Mother Gallery, and several other group shows.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

For my undergrad, I completed a degree in Biology from Brandeis University. Although it does not seem directly linked to art, it’s shaped the way I see the world. I think that molecular and cell biology is what led me to be a sculpture artist, because it gave me the habit of thinking in 3D. When I work on a sculpture, I have a clear picture of it from all angles in my head as I work on it. I also think that the understanding of physiology allows me to make convincing bodies because of the attention I pay to the functionality of their musculature, even if it’s a made up creature (for example a centaur with a very long neck).

I’ve been rock climbing for over a decade now, and I feel pretty proficient in the sport, Dangling from a cliff can be scary, and doing it electively has helped me to have a productive relationship with fear. It’s taught me how to overcome daily anxieties, and has also been an amazing tool for managing my mental health. Feeling strong enough to scale a rock wall has helps me to feel powerful in my body, which I love.

The most important skill is learning. I have always valued learning above all else, and enjoyed research and critical thinking. Anything can be a learned skill, whether it’s having a healthy relationship or making weird clay sculptures.

My biggest piece of advice is to find what you like doing, and do it as much as possible. Build your life around it as much as possible. Also, get a cat.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

My friend Mia Loebel has been my biggest supporter. She is an incredible sculpture ceramicists based in San Francisco. She is in her 70s now, and has lived the boldest life of anyone I know. She just loves herself goes for what she wants and has relentlessly encouraged me to do the same. I remember I was considering applying for an industrial design program, and telling her I was bummed because there were art classes I wanted to take that were not part of the program. She asked me why I wanted the ID degree instead of Art, and I told her it was a more practical choice. She was livid. I remember she yelled, “you already have a practical career, why on Earth do you need another one?” I went home and started my applications to fine arts programs that night.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @kakashaceramics