olechko

These are a few of the things we picked up at the Columbia Road flower market yesterday. I am having absolutely the best time painting on these smooth surfaces, see my brother’s portrait below and the first still life. Hat tipped to the amazing artist who pointed me into this direction. The greatest thing about it is that you can customize the background of the painting to your liking by changing the backing of it in the frame, see the thumbnail of the dandelions with a white background (it’s backwards too, it does not really matter). The only downside of the clear glossy medium is that you can see my reflection in the artwork photo.

oil on acetate, 21 x 30 cm, 2010, for sale on Etsy

Painted a quick portrait today – of my brother actually . He dropped in for the weekend and brought with him a great deal of sunshine. Columbia Market trip was a must and I finally got a photo of the market with me inside it, hehe. Picked up one of the crinkled cups by Robert Brandt there. I was only half joking telling him that he should keep it tucked away in his office, as one too many cups like that were just tossed away by the cleaning staff.

oil on glass, 2010

oil on panel, 20×30 cm,  2010

It was a first round of presidential election yesterday in Ukraine. As a coincidence I just finished a portrait of the fabulous Ukrainian journalist and writer Svitlana Pyrkalo. She is holding here an issue of Elle magazine with Yulia Tymoshenko – presidential hopeful in the second election round – on the cover. And there is the braided hairstyle reference.

Some of you may say’  this women is drinking more coffee then any one else’. Truly speaking, I am taking in less caffeine then when I was a full-time employee at the World Bank (thanks to the lovely barristers at the Atrium cafe there), but my current bean encounters are more calculated and cherished these days.

This one is my newest favourite drink – a shot of espresso with whipped cream – yum. I must say Italians are beyond control with their creativity when it comes to indulgences!

ink pen and watercolor, 8×6 in, 2009, sold

I will be gone for a few weeks probably, check back here at the beginning of September (or sign up for my newsletter/ rss feed to be notified) when I will resume posting here my daily 15×15 cm paintings. The reason for this break is an upcoming vacation, other work as well as an unexpected crash and subsequent trip of my dear tursty Mac to the nearest Genius Bar.

Have good rest of the summer!

A commission I did today; there is a great love story behind it. The two on the picture are getting married in a few weeks. They knew each other way back and met again 30 years later…

15×15 cm, acrylic on panel,  sold

I celebrated my 3oth  birthday this weekend and was missing in action for a bit, mostly because of a wonderful suprise trip out of town I got for a gift, the hints to where I have been will come in paint very soon!

L’eau a la Bouche is becoming my favorite coffee stop. A friend came down from Singapore to celebrate her birthday in London last week, and this seemed to the best place to take to on Sunday to drench in the  sun and soak in the East London vibe at the moment.

oil on panel 15×15 cm SOLD

Please email me if you would like to own a similar piece

Related paintings:
Broadway market street on Sunday
Little Georgia on Goldsmiths row
The Dove
Amy Winehouse at the Broadway bookshop
L’eau a la Bouche

update: fellow artist-blogger Suzanne Clem-Wheeler has just wirtten a super nice post about my shoes painting.

This guy was working on his laptop and talking on the phone at the same time one afternoon at my local pub – the Royal Oak on Columbia road – oblivious to the beautiful light falling on him from the window. Or was he?

oil on panel 6 x 6 in SOLD

Related paintings:
Tea and cupcakes at Cake Hole, Vintage Heaven
Columbia road, East London
Campania gastronomia II
Sunday-brunch at Campania

FYI, I’ve opened an Etsy shop for my drawings and waterclors. Chek it out and let me know what you think!

Another cityscape of Prague  – a view of St. Vita church that I never been able to appreciate inside. After exploring many Gothic churches around Europe, I have never seen such a huge line of tourists  trying to get inside the site. Saving the interior for another time, enjoyed walking the streets around Hrad.

oil on panel 15×15 cm ($75)

Email me if you would like to own this piece

Other paintings from Prague:
Old town square in Prague
Breakfast at Ventana hotel
Czech gentleman by Bohemia Bagel
Hotel Ventana II
Hotel Ventana III