Meet Orestia Shestov

We recently connected with Orestia Shestov and have shared our conversation below.

Orestia, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

For many, many, many years – too many years (way too many to count) – I felt aimless, rudderless, hapless, and adrift. I deftly went through three husbands, two bankruptcies, four evictions, and one, 6-month stint in a uniquely draconian rehab facility in New Mexico. I was 31 years-old with an associates degree in marketing from community college and I hated myself. One morning while leafing through a women’s magazine at the manicurist I happened upon a short profile of an unknown American expatriate artist who lived in Paris in the 1920’s. I was so taken by the work and the story that immediately a light went off in my head and I knew what the rest of my life would be devoted to.

I went back to school and in six grueling years I earned three degrees in Art History and wrote a 900-page doctoral thesis on the painter Faun Roberts. You can find my thesis, published by Godard Press, on the remainder tables at most college town used bookstores.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am proud to say that I am the world’s leading authority on the American expatriate artist Faun Roberts. For a variety of reasons, until I started publishing my work, Roberts was relatively unknown. She moved to Paris shortly after the First World War and quickly became an intimate of Picasso, Max Jacob, Guillaume Apollinaire, Modigliani, and Soutine. Her work is exquisite, raw, passionate, and completely unchaste. Since I started on this mission to resurrect Faun Roberts’ career, she has benefited from over 200 exhibitions worldwide. Roberts died in 1944 and never lived to see her work appreciated.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

There are four essential ingredients for success, but I’m only going to give you three of them, considering the precise parameters of your question. The first is arrogance. You have to have an inflated view of your worth. Number two is desperation. You have to feel like you are on the brink of collapse and that your survival depends upon the enactment of your vision. The third is luck. Plain old, “pick-a-card/any-card” dumb, stupid luck.

The fourth is the most important and for that reason, I am withholding it.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

About twenty years ago I met the French artist Currado Malaspina. He seduced me in every way possible. He is an amazing painter, a terrific writer, a wonderful raconteur, and as handsome and sexy as any Hollywood celebrity. I had a very tempestuous romance with him that has lasted on and off till today. He constantly inspires me, goads me, shames me, and brings me to states of unimaginable ecstasy.

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