olechko

2008 oil on panel 15×15 cm

Mmm, it’s nasty outside, I got a cold and craving for some comfort food. Another installment of the chocolates from my mom’s gift box.

On show right now Vladislav Shereshvsky (I blogged about his baby faces before) put out his tounge in cheek Van Gogh copies at the Fund for Advancement of Arts in Kyiv (via artpages.org.ua).

2008 15×15 cm oil on hardboard

After taking the sad and impersonal District line (no pun intended towards the Tube, I just have higher expectations of it then of the one pictured - in Kyiv) I pulled out this composition. Love how the two girls turned out color-coordinated.  Here are my previous pictures on the subject. 

Peeking into my purse 2008 oil on canvas 5×8 inches

Continuing to have fun with the stuffed owls. Potap (the owl) ended up on my purse after a particularly joyful play session. It must have gotten hungry and was looking in for treats. The red chair is the same as the other owl’s “brunch” that I just painted.  They all like to hang out around my work space where the red chairs are.

Perched on a chair. 2008 Oil on canvas 5×8 inches

On the balustrade - the journey of the red coat - daily painting by Edward Gordon

I had an immence pleasure of meeting the renowned Berlin artist Edward Gordon the other day at his studio.  Edward has been doing daily figurative paintings for over the past 600 days, putting them on his blog.  Here’s the painting of his that was just drying at the easel that day. Here’s a short video about Edward done by iNCONTEXT.TV to get an idea what his brilliant work looks like.  The best daily paitings make it into large-scale canvases, at the end of September to be exhibited on Auguststrasse - Berlin street dotted with prime German galleries.

The past two days were an amazing feast for my senses - in Berlin.  The best thing that happened to me there was meeting Edward B. Gordon at his studio.

There I discovered the art of great local artist Adolph Menzel; his illustrations of  Friedrich the Great’s life are magnificent, but his art goes beyond so much more: amazing realist sketchy three-dimensional paintings on the life of the elite and poor. One can see his expressive strokes brushing over certain detail, and yet it’s so live with shapes and tone that looks better then photo.

At Bereznytsky gallery - a Ukrainian gallery on the Auguststrasse showing only the native art - Sergey Zarva shows exaggerated painted over Ogonyok magazine covers from the 70’s. Katja Solov’eva’s happy realism looks underdone - she could use another coat of paint. As the promo puts it: ” Their use of Soviet imagery raises a complex of fascinating questions surrounding the place of aesthetics and nostalgia in post-communist world, the politics of the Utopian imagination, and the intersection of past and present visual cultures.”

Art Center Berlin seemed lame, I did not enjoy much except for the Korean art on 4th.

The Gemäldegalerie offers the wealth of old masters’ paintings -  a true feast for the eyes: Carravaggios, Vermeers, besides Cranach and Brugel, ter Bosh, Holbein and de la Tur. A new interesting artist  that cought my eye there was Lucas van Valkenborch -with his painting Der winter.

The other day took the Eurostar to go to Paris for the day.  Amazing how much can be crammed into one day: coffees, shopping, food and sights and be home in bed at the end of the day.

All galleries were closed on Monday, but managed to see a few little commercial shows on Place des Voges: neat gallery Chourulet exposes nice bold reds, gallerie Ariel Sibony currently shows Magi Puig (whom I admire for a wile now). And more of Micha Tauber at Mastey Fine Art.

2008 oil on board 15×15 cm

This shot is taken at dusk and delicately demonstrates the contrast between the old building and the new.

This painting is part of my post-Soviet series. Please send your bid by email if you want to purchase it.

2008 oil on board 15×15 cm

This is a post-visit impression of Kyiv.  Traffic there is bad as usual, and s shot of some historic landmark is impossible without one. I particularly like the overhanging streetlamps on wires.

Love all the artwork discovered by Dear Ada, this time it’s The acrylic paintings of warehouses and industrial settings at night by Erin Mcsavaney and very cute birds and tea sets paintings  by Susan Homer.

This painting is part of my post-Soviet series. Please send your bid by email if you want to purchase it.

On our latest visit to Lviv  I met this amazing artist Oleksandr Fedorchuk ( we actually went to art school together, him being two years senior). Now a renowned icon painter, does amazing Byzantium style works in traditional technique.

Besides we visited our old digs at Dzyga to drink coffee Lviv style and catch the latest exhibit. Check out a new show at Zelena Kanapa. Finally checked out Kryivka to drink some good beer by Persha Lvivska Brovarnya, medivka and experience the nationalist Ukrainian army atmosphere - machine guns, Georgia supporting manifestos and field trip type of food. A climb to the top of city hall for breathtaking vies and visit to many bookshops and antique books market by Ivana Fedorova monument were all a must.