Polina Belenchuk

Polina Belenchuk is a London-based collage artist, illustrator and creative educator. Her work embraces bold colour, playfulness and a streak of rebellion, celebrating individuality over perfection. She sees art as a tool for healing and empowerment, creating workshops that encourage confidence, self-expression and emotional release.

A graduate of London College of Communication (2017), she has developed a distinctive style that has led to collaborations with charities, brands and cultural institutions. In 2022, she founded Belenchuk Arts Limited, continuing her mission to put colour and creativity at the centre of everything she does.

Polina has a particular affinity for pink - often set against oranges and blues. Her studio, awash in pink, is proof enough.

How do you want people to feel when engaging with your work?

I want everybody to know that art is very accessible and everybody can do it. And what's great about collage is that you don't need to know how to draw - you can just cut simple shapes and create a portrait. And I hope it encourages everybody - especially adults - to connect with their inner child energy and make something. Sometimes I feel like Bob Ross because I show how simple it is to make art using accessible techniques.

What colour feels most like you right now?

The main colour I use in my work is pink - it's kind of the core of my brand. So I combine colours with pink. Everything goes well with pink! But right now I am drawn to orange because it's warm, vibrant and bold.

Why is collage such a powerful tool?

It helped me to get rid of overthinking. Collage is very quick - it's much quicker than drawing and painting, it's so fast, so there's no time to overthink your decisions, you just do it. And there is just something about being alone with big blocks of coloured paper.

What does self-expression mean to you?

It's about connecting with your inner child's voice and trying not to listen to the judgments and opinions of other people - just being on your own with your creativity. If you have this voice saying, 'Oh, what if my art isn't as good as someone else's?' I try to cut it off and just play, experiment and create no matter what. Just do it.

What would you say to someone scared of making 'bad' art?

I think when people say they are afraid of making bad art, it's really negative and can stop you from being creative and making any art at all. We shouldn't be thinking in terms of 'good' and 'bad' art, but concentrating on being consistent, being playful, enjoying the process, experimenting and making as much art as possible. It will become better with time!