Birch Drawing

I was born in Irkutsk in Russia and I currently live in the suburb of the city. My house is located near the forest. Having the forest, river, garden, and the changing colours and seasons on my doorstep is a huge inspiration for me to paint and create. The Russian landscape is endlessly beautiful and much of my work develops from something catching my eye when out walking – the shapes and colour combination of branches and leaves, or the water and sky. I love coming back to my studio to make still-life paintings. The beauty of nature and the miracle of life have always fascinated me. I relish the challenge of making my pieces look as realistic as possible. I work mainly with oil paint as it has exceptional properties: it gives colour solidity, lustre and depth, while its transparency makes wonderful glazes. In my childhood I studied at School of Art in small town Mirniy .In 1991 I graduated from the Irkutsk National Research Technical University. I was trained as an architect. With no formal training, I have continued to develop my skills in drawing and painting through a deep study of the work of a great many artists, past and present