ART IS A CHILD’S FIRST LANGUAGE
The Arts In Oakland sponsored a mural project contest in mid 2024. This contest set the stage for Oakland‘s creative and talented residents to vie for a prestigious spot reserved at the Potash Recreation Complex. The theme would highlight the natural beauty of Oakland and its sports programs. There were quite a few outstanding entries with three selected as top contenders, Anastasia Serdukova; Gabriella Talamini and Antionette Cinderella D'Allesandro.
This month we celebrate and showcase our own remarkably talented artist, and winner, Miss Anastasia Serdukova!
We met with Anastasia one Sunday recently at the Lenape Diner to share our congratulations and have her share with us the process of her winning entry. Anastasia ‘s mother Elena told her about the mural contest she saw on social media. The contest was extended from the original date of June to October 13, so Anastasia gathered her vision and talent and submitted her winning entry in September, 2023.
Anastasia is a resident of Oakland having attended Manito elementary school from third grade through eighth grade. She attended Bergen Academies Visual Arts upon graduation. She then continued her further studies at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, honing her talents graduating in 2014 with a BFA in Communication Design with a concentration in Advertising Art Direction and a minor in Art History! She is presently employed by Brooklyn Brothers Advertising Agency in New York as an Associate Creative Director where she is responsible for managing a team that creates and develops designs and materials for marketing campaigns.
Anastasia uses a vast array of mediums such as acrylics, watercolor, prints and textiles both professionally and privately.Yearly, she creates and sells a calendar of her artwork, and in a wonderfully altruistic way, Anastasia donates all proceeds to local charities. Anastasia‘s win allows her recognition in her hometown and hopefully inspires other budding artists throughout our community to discover and share their own artistic talents.
Congratulations, Anastasia!