Greta Skya grew up in Trakai, a small Lithuanian town celebrated for its rich cultural history. Her interest in painting was sparked at an early age, watching her father create oil paintings. Following in his footsteps, Greta became a self-taught artist, honing her abilities through careful observation and experimentation rather than through formal art training. This self-guided journey set the stage for her distinct and personal artistic style.
When Greta turned 19, she relocated to London, where she spent the next decade fully engaged in the performing arts. There, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Acting and steadily worked with various British theatres. This experience deeply shaped her as an artist, leaving a lasting mark on the dramatic elements that later surfaced in her visual works.
Though her acting career was demanding, painting always remained Greta’s foremost passion. Her recent artwork centers on depicting the feelings and experiences of modern women. One striking aspect of her paintings is the representation of women with animal heads, a motif that signifies their inherent wildness. Occasionally, these figures appear headless, emphasizing that it is the heart, not the mind, that should lead our actions. Through confidently chosen titles, her works emphasize themes of resilience, determination, and autonomy.
Greta’s paintings are notably theatrical in character, distinguished by bold outlines, vivid and flat areas of color, and a purposeful rejection of traditional realism. She interweaves human and animal figures, composing each component for optimal expressiveness—in much the same way scenes are arranged on stage. Now residing in Vilnius, Lithuania, Greta Skya continues to paint, fusing her artistic passion and theatrical sensibilities in her work.
About this artwork+
The painting features two identical figures, each depicted against a differently colored background - one purple and one green. Both figures are wearing a simple, loose-fitting white dress with details like ruffles at the neck and sleeves. The dresses reach just above their knees. Curiously, instead of human heads, the figures have heads that resemble green masks shaped like deer, complete with realistic antlers. Behind each figure, there is a faint halo-like circle framing their deer heads. The figures are standing with their arms slightly away from their bodies, their legs straight, and their feet bare. The stylized representation and serene posture of the figures, combined with the surreal replacement of their heads, gives the painting an otherworldly and contemplative feel.
