1. Tell us a bit about yourself, what is your background and how did you begin your professional practice?

As far as I remember myself, I always was surrounded by arts: music, visual arts, architecture, literature. My parents were the art lovers, not professionally trained but very knowledgeable, and they believed that their kids should be educated in arts, not necessarily to be professionals, but for general erudition. That’s why I started private music lessons at the age of 4 or 5 (I don’t remember) and continue with visual arts when I was 11. At that time, one of the options for kids was a visual art studio in the kids’ creative centres, like we have here in our Community Centres. However, my parents decided to send me to the special fine art school. There were just two of such schools in Moscow. To be enrolled, student must have passed 3 exams: painting, drawing, and composition. I failed in the first year and passed and was accepted one year later. I need to say a few words about this school: the education took 4 complete years. All lessons were in evenings, so every day I went to the secondary school and after a short break went to the fine arts school, from 4pm until 8pm. Students learned the major subjects: drawing, painting (still life and live at the last year of school), composition, sculpture, plein-air during summertime for two or three weeks, and the world history of art. I remember we often went to museums to make drawings. Every student had special ID that allowed them to go to the museums for free and avoiding the line. It was very solid classic education… I was lucky being taught by amazing teachers, who were excellent and some of them were famous Soviet artists. Later, close to the graduation from secondary school, I became very interested in mathematics and physics. Considering my practice in visual arts, I remember my first exhibition in 1981 in the university where I studied mathematics. I was noticed, and later I got my first commission. It was quite a Dali-esque painting. I was a member of the university student theatre and made the biggest artwork I’ve ever made – the decoration to the “The Legends of King Arthur and Knights of the Round Table” play.

2. What subject matter do you work with and why?

To me it is very important to talk to people through my art.

From the very beginning I was taught that art must deliver a certain message to the audience. The message that “generated” from an artist’s observations, went through an artist perception and certain analysis, emphasised the important, and delivered through visualisation. The visual art is a language that everyone can understand. The message that is all about us: our feelings, relationships, habits, values, the “human universe” that is inside us and outer space that surrounds us.

3. How does the idea of community relate to your practice?

Of course, I always think about community. I’m a part of it and can’t be separated. This is very important. Every year I have an exhibition in the library of Maple Ridge, the community where I live. In every place where I exhibit, I do my best to bring to the local community something interesting, something that make people to start a discussion, something that can create positive atmosphere.  I consider my art as a dialogue with an audience. During my artistic career, along with my friends, I initiated a few fine art projects for kids that included book publishing, contests, exhibitions, featuring on TV and radio: “Adventures” (South Delta), “The Art of Gelato” (International), and “Fraser River. Living Working Spirit” (New Westminster). These projects were focused on unfolding kids’ talents and potentials.

4. What is your dream project?

It is difficult to say. Honestly, I’ve never thought about it. Every project I was involved in or will be involved in the future can be considered as a dream project. As Pablo Picasso said: “I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” That’s about a dream project. In other words – just establish your goal, even impossible, and do your best to reach it. I think that each of my art piece or activity, small or big, can be considered as my dream project. I’m always happy when I see that I’ve completed it and people like it. And then… everything starts over again, and here is a new project.

5. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given as an artist?

From my time in the fine art school: learn to see, find unseen, bring a bit of yourself into your artwork, and never re-draw or re-paint from a photograph. Try to visit museums as much as possible and learn from every visit. Try to analyze what you see in art, find the message, explain what you like and what you don’t like, and be honest in it.

6. Name three artists who’ve inspired you.

During various periods of time, I’ve been influenced by different artists and different art movements.  When studied in the fine art school, I was influenced by the old masters. For example, I learned how to work with light and shadow while studying Rembrandt, or how to paint landscapes, understand the mood of the nature and bring it on paper pr canvas while studying famous Russian artists, V. Serov and I. Levitan. During my school time, in the USSR there was “official art” and “underground art”, not completely prohibited but very restricted. I was very interested in the underground art and it had real influence over me. I was lucky to meet great artists, founders of Soviet Conceptualism: Ilya Kabakov and Vladimir Yankilevsky. When Yankilevsky passed away in 2018 I wrote big essay “Enigma of Vladimir Yankilevsky”. So, while there were many that inspired me, I’d like to note the following: J.W. Turner (1775 – 1851, British Empire) – British artist whose artworks are the best example of how an artist should feel the nature, the atmosphere, and bring it to the viewer; Nikolas Roerich (1874 – 1947, Russian Empire – the USA – India) – Russian painter, writer, traveller, archaeologist, and philosopher; and Yves Tanguy (1900 – 1955, France – the USA) – French self-taught surrealist who can be considered as a quintessence of this art movement.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself, what is your background and how did you begin your professional practice? 

I have always loved photography but never practiced it as a hobby until the pandemic. My dad gave me his old Canon Rebel from the 80s and I started going on short photo walks around PoCo. Two years later I’m now presenting my own solo exhibit and am very proud of the work I’ve created.

2. What subject matter do you work with and why? 

35mm colour film. I love the way colours stand out on film without having to be edited like a digital shot. Modern photography has a very washed out or highly enhanced trend right now and I prefer a more raw, natural image.

3. How does the idea of community relate to your practice? 

My community inspired me to start this as a hobby! Port Coquitlam is an adorable town, I have taken so many pictures walking along Shaughnessy and the river trail.

4. What is your dream project? 

I would love to publish a photo book or two (or more) as I have a few themed series that I’ve been working on. Other than that I hope to continue showcasing my work in local galleries and maybe even internationally in the near future.

5. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given as an artist? 

Don’t stop

6. Name three artists who’ve inspired you.

– Wim Wenders, specifically his films; “Paris, Texas” and “Until the End of the World”
– Legendary Vancouver photographer Fred Herzog
– POP SNAP on flickr, his collection of Canada in the 70s was my introduction to Kodachrome

1. Tell us a bit about yourself, what is your background and how did you begin your professional practice?

My background in the arts began as a young child, who was fascinated with National Geographic shows that documented Wildlife. In an attempt to become closer to understanding Wildlife, I would illustrate them in drawings all over my note pads, visit them in their natural habitat and or in sanctuaries and lastly, study how other Artists conceptualized them.

From a child till now, I’ve enrolled in workshops that would refine my techniques in developing the subject with a matter of bolder strokes & composition. With continuing confidence in my abilities & identity as an Artist, I began cultivating my creative community through networking with Galleries in Alberta (Hometown), to attain mentorship, recognition, friendship, and professional opportunity. Having attained recognition, I held an Exhibit in 2020 titled ‘’ Chapter’s of Introspection’’, which documented mental health showing figurative works. This opportunity provided foundational knowledge of marketing, sales, and business relationships. Furthermore, it reiterated the vital importance of community.

2. What subject matter do you work with and why?

My preferred subject matter to work with are Wildlife and Human Portraiture. This preference is due to the imminent opportunity for connection. I find when viewing a Portrait, you’re connecting through the features, textures/ movement, colour, and composition. In further, connecting through narrative and relatability to that interpretation; if that relatability be hardship, curiosity, contentment.

3. How does the idea of community relate to your practice?

In terms of professionalism, Community provides foundation for both stability and expansion. Stability in a lasting connection of shared meaning in the realm of the arts & culture and expansion in networking with other artists for shared passions, mentorship, collaboration and kinship.

4. What is your dream project?

My dream project(s) are::

1) to collaborate with a fellow Artist on a Conservation Exhibit featuring endangered Wildlife. Proceeds of the exhibit would go towards funding the conservation organization and marketing fees in advocating for conservation awareness.

2) to collaborate with a contemporary dance company to interpret pieces of figurative works that depict human emotions in a mixed media (visual/ musical) exhibit advocating on Mental Health.

5. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given as an artist?

‘’… there is no ‘must’ in art, because art is free’’. – Wassily Kandinsky. I appreciate this quote, because I interpret it in a philosophical lens; that our experiences throughout our existence are free to be expressed visually, physically and verbally. The meaning behind this interpretation of this quote, is the intent to free yourself from confinement of indoctrinated societal belief systems.

6. Name three artists who’ve inspired you.

Greg Beecham & Jennifer Gennari: (Greg) American Wildlife Painter (Jennifer) Animal and Human Portraiture:: The methods used by both Greg and Jennifer in capturing their subject matters in movement and with the utilization of light and shadow, thick brush strokes, and anatomy, creates an atmosphere that you’re sharing in the physical space as the subject.

Mark Boedges: American Landscape Painter: the way he captures light, shadow, and contour of his environment with bold and simple brush strokes establishes such realism. The knowledge that most pieces are done in plein air first, is a beautiful motivator to feel the essence of the environment and capture it in real time.

Larisa Brechun: American Human Portraiture Artist: reminds me of Rembrandt’s style of Painting with a muted , heavily valued background and subject matter of the main focal point.