Zuzana Pištova, Slovak artist and English teacher, gives us an authentic glimpse of her mind

To stop wasting my time with things that are not moving me closer and to invest my energy into my projects in general. At this moment it is sketching new illustrations for the cover of the Authenticity diary and something for the Kafka Museum.

Sketching.

This question I´m never sure what to do with… It´s tricky one! Well, I ´m convinced that the only way how to really create value is to help people. But I realize that this is a very unspecified answer and I should really go for something more specific If I want this to work. For example: Sometimes you can say you created value when you smiled at that old man sitting  in front of his block building here in Ružinov every morning and watching strangers passing him by to get on time to their work. So to me it is this: to have my eyes open wide for people I meet, to listen, not just talk. To be there when they need somebody. It is a toughtask to fullfil every day, but I want to do it even better than yesterday.

What new approach can you try to come closer to your dream life?

 

I think fulling in this diary in is one of them. I have never used such a systematic approach as this one, but I see it´s working. It helps me to be aware of what is happening in my head and systematicly work on improvements.

What made you feel happy, in flow, recently?

 

Seeing me and my future husband not giving up, continuing with our projects every day, being happier than before and bonding with my friends and family.

I am grateful for:

 

My family for supporting us and loving us no matter what and always being there ready to help, without us even asking, my future husband (which I can soon call “hubby” just because it sounds nice), my mother in law for being awsome and so incredibly sweet, my faith in God that helped me to get through the rough periods, my best friends thanks to whom I never feel lonely and lately I´m also very grateful for my new colleagues who help me and support me on the new job.

I’m really excited about:

 

Authenticity diary project, getting my illustrations out there, finding new interesting artists to follow and learn from, working with children in kindergarden

These are the most important habits I’m building:

 

Working every day after I get home from the “job” (which is actually no “job” in its most common sense- I like to work where I work)

Relax by watching ONLY ONE episode of Gilmore Girls which I saw many times before, but I like to come back to it from time to time (especially the first episodes- I love the spirit of that particular Warner Bros. product and the character of Amy Shareman-Palladino, the creator of Lorelai & Rory)

Preparing my kindergarden classes every sunday so I have more structure and time during the week for everything else including the Authenticity project, which is the latest project of donkichod.

Come back to Slovakia and start from here.

Go abroad and live there, no matter which country it was, I didnt learn just the language I learned how the be on my own and handle difficult situations in a different language, living in Belgium for a while was an incredibly enriching experience.

Starting the organisation donkichod together with Franswa, William and Benjamin.

New ideas:

 

Illustrations for Kafka Museum in Prague

Illustrations for Authenticity Project

Literary translations of books I think people should have a chance to read in Slovak too.

Some things I decide to do, no matter what:

 

Always paint and sketch.

Never give up on what I love to do

Well, actually never give up in general. Human beings are much strong than they realize.

Many things, hard to sum it up and not write a book, but let´s see: always look for the options (they are there but if you are desperate you are unable to really see the bigger picture), do not block yourself, if you open your mind to things they will come with solutions, nothing is as bad as it seems, what’s it like to be self-employed, where to look for money, and do not be affraid to really make your ideas come true- to invest in yourself, and most important of all is that you should take everything that ever happens to you as a lesson you can learn form.

Grateful, truly happy and not fake

With love and respect.

Well, by watching one episode of Gilmore Girls (yes, JUST ONE)

Love.

How to really sell my art?

Painting & Sketching in my own studio and working on book projects.

Pay for art school and get real artistic education.

Mine and W’s children working together in the organisation that we built together and loving what they do. Change my “hobby” into my full time job.