Biljana: From Dodging Chickens to Dodging Reality (and Finally Embracing Art)
I was born in what was once Yugoslavia, in a part that today belongs to Bosnia & Herzegovina. From the very start, life made sure I had a unique perspective—something between a philosopher and a kid who spent way too much time covered in dirt.
Growing up in rural Bosnia was idyllic—if your idea of idyllic includes chasing chickens, picking vegetables with grandma, and getting a crash course in "which mushrooms won’t kill you" from grandpa. Honestly, it was a great setup for a little troublemaker like me. I had land to run wild, animals to befriend, and an endless supply of fresh produce. Life was simple. Until 1992.
That’s when normal took a hard left turn. Suddenly, normal meant war. We had to leave everything I had ever called home, and overnight, I became a child with a front-row seat to chaos. Lost my first tooth? Not under my pillow, but in a refugee camp. Started first grade? To the background noise of bullets and explosions. Some kids get fireworks on New Year’s—I got the real thing.
But through all of it, I had one escape hatch: art. While the world outside was on fire (literally), I built my own world with a pencil and whatever scraps of paper I could find. Most kids eventually grow out of drawing. I, however, decided that growing up was overrated.
Fast forward to 1998—Philadelphia became home. My love for art never faded, but reality (ahem, immigrant guilt) had other plans. See, when you’re the child of immigrants, you don’t just follow your dreams—you pick something “practical” so your parents can proudly tell their friends, “Yes, my child has a real job.” Even though my parents were actually super supportive, I convinced myself that art wasn’t a serious option. Truthfully? I was just scared to fail at something I loved.
But here’s the funny thing about dreams—you can shove them into a corner, pretend they don’t exist, and they’ll still haunt you like a persistent WiFi notification.
In the last five years, painting has gone from “fun hobby” to serious obsession. I fell in love with oils in 2016 and have been stubbornly teaching myself ever since. I dabble in watercolor, acrylics, and pretty much anything that makes a mess. Am I still looking for my niche? Absolutely. But let’s be honest—who isn’t?
Lately, my work has been drawn to the big mysteries—astrology, the universe, human consciousness, higher evolution, spirituality. You know, light stuff. My art is my way of making sense of this wild ride we call existence.
And now, I want to share that journey with you. The art, the process, the chaos, the lessons. If nothing else, I hope it reminds you that it’s never too late to chase the things that set your soul on fire.
So, thanks for being here. Thanks for seeing me. And if you’re still reading this, congrats—you now know me better than most people.
Much love,
Biljana Todic
@artbybilyana
"To realize one's destiny is a person's only obligation"
- From The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho
