How did you start getting interested in arts? What motivates you to create?
It’s hard to define the initial point. It seems like art has always been an integral part of my life. Since thy childhood, I was exposed to a wealth of art collections, expositions and presentations at the local Museum of Fine Arts in my hometown, as well as I had a chance to observe effort of professional artists working on industrial scale paintings; art historians and editors preserving and researching collections; art tour guides and curators representing eras and styles of paintings to the public. Art terminology, images, and bright impressions were absorbed by the imagination of an elementary school child to support desire for art in the future. On that foundation, I studied Great Masters and techniques from my favorite contemporary artists and mentors of my choice.
Sense of freedom motivates me to paint. Freedom of choice in genre, subject matter, style, pallet, tools and techniques… What could be better? Where else an absolute freedom could be so easily reached? I let my imagination take me to a certain point in the time-space continuum, and release aesthetic impressions accumulated regarding it. Intuition is on the side of feelings, not rational analysis. In fact, I often do painting when I feel exhausted from analytical activities.
I am painting because I can’t help but paint. Because I will be unhappy otherwise. It’s similar to Innokentiy Annensky, a psychological symbolist in Russian poetry, perceiving a source of inspiration as “One Star only”: “Not because there is a light from Her, but because there is no need for light with Her.” (“Among the Worlds”, 1909).
How do you approach your subject matter and choose your color palette and technique?
It’s all the way around. Subject matter has chosen me, and I am just a humble receiver of an artistic gift that comes with responsibilities or obligations to expand it as a package.
My most recent solo exhibition was well-received and vividly demonstrated human longing for what would be called ‘invigorating colors’ – one of those Annensky’s qualities described as “there is no need for light“.
Techniques come from the dynamics of painting. Every morning, I get up in a different mood. I might be using pallet knives for oil on canvas, or applying super-granulating watercolors on wet cotton paper, or mixing egg yolks with pigments for a primed wooden surface – it’s all intuitive, unpredictable and task-driven.
What are you trying to communicate with your art?
Eternal principles of Hope, Harmony and Humanity (by Wassiliy Wassilievich Kandinsky, it’s “Hope to Heaven” concept). Presence of hope is a prerequisite for a piece to contain any art value. Andrei Arsenievich Tarkovsky (1932-1986), one of the most influential movie directors in the genre of poetic cinema in the 20th century, formulated short and brilliant criteria according to which “Without hope, it’s not an art.”
To what extent does the pandemic influence your depiction of art? Does it generate new inspiration?
In 2017 – fortunately enough, – I relocated my art studio to the countryside, away from the megalopolis (San Francisco Bay Area). In 2020, that move defined a lot in both dynamics and outcome of the pandemic for me and my art. In the overpopulated urban area, it would be significantly more dramatic, I assume.
Thus influence for my depiction of art consists of the necessity to be – even more than on average – focused on what I am passionate about. In terms of inspiration, it’s all traditional and existing in the past, currently and in the future, namely, the human soul and feelings pertinent to it.
External conditions might vary on a wide emotional scale, and I do believe it plays a secondary role in the act of depiction. Artist’s determination defines everything that an artist is destined to express regardless of what the whole world is going through.
“Serving the Muses does not tolerate fuss. The beautiful must be stately” — as Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin rightly pointed out in his poem “19 October” (1827).
How do you feel about being involved in an online residency program? How important is it to stay connected with the international art community?
I would say, it’s an excellent opportunity for an artist. Since “goal of creation is sharing” (Boris Leonidovich Pasternak, 1956), it is mutually beneficial to be connected and have an opportunity to exchange ideas. I will be happy to recommend such a form of artistic communication to my fellow artists in No. California region.
What are your thoughts about the theme ‘artist on standby’? Tell us a bit more about your project…
“On standby” is rather a typical state of an artist in terms of being ready to embark on a new project, idea, genre, and assist the public in eternal search for hope. It’s a noble calling, heavenly gift, pure joy, delightful activity and a tremendous responsibility to justify it.
Currently, I am working on a seascape project (oil painting on gallery wrapped canvas, 36 inches x 36 inches). The main idea is about overcoming obstacles. As usual, solutions that lead to safety are represented by a narrow path of possibilities and out-of-the-box choices. Right now, I am determining images and symbols to be depicted in support of the above goal.
What do you want to achieve before things return to normal if it is to happen? Any future plans/projects?
Two directions that I feel I have to embark upon: to add elements of symbolism to my artwork, and to experiment with tempera on wood technique for portrait and still life paintings. Besides, I am constantly working on augmentation of my floral collection, portraits and seascapes. Thank you!