Art Kaleidoscope

Angel with a trumpet. XIX century. Sherya village. Unique art of Perm wooden sculpture

Unique art of Perm wooden sculpture
The age of a wooden man is a little longer than a human and much shorter than a century of its bronze and stone counterparts. Although equally threatened by fire and dampness, but on the other hand, it travels more easily, transforms, and renews. Besides, it is egalitarian, because wood is inexpensive and affordable, and anyone can learn the skills of a carver.
But Perm wooden sculpture is still a riddle. This unusually expressive art has no youth, neither is it ever old. It appeared at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries as a mature phenomenon. It quickly absorbs a lot of styles, tries a lot of various techniques. Also, it shows itself in all its splendor and bloom and disappears, not having had time to exhaust its possibilities. It has no canons, more precisely, it uses different canons, but as a whim, and not as a dogma.
Noteworthy, Perm wooden sculpture almost did not save the names of their masters, but in every detail bears the imprint of their individuality. Common features can be traced, even with ease – and disappear with the same ease. The only undoubtedly common feature for all works is non comformism. Rules exist to violate them. Aliens from the White Sea, immigrants from Polish churches, monochrome replicates of high classicism are accepted into this silent wooden fraternity without objection. But let’s start from the threshold and further: deep down and up.
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Crocuses. 2004. Amethyst, citrine, nephrite, chalcedony, metal. Work by Ural stone cutter Viktor Vasiliev

Ural stone cutter Viktor Vasiliev
Born 10 April 1954, Viktor Vasilyev is a talented Nizhny Tagil artist-stone cutter, master of stone cutting art, who works mainly in the genre of floristics. A former geologist, head of the Vasilyev Stone-cutting Workshop. Awarded the Order of Denisov-Uralsky.
According to the master, the world of stone is familiar to him since childhood, because Nizhny Tagil and its surroundings are a real natural treasure. Participation in the work of the club “Polyus”, classes in the geological club and art studio helped Victor understand the scientific and aesthetic value of minerals. And further study in the geological technical school and at the Geological Faculty of Perm University is quite natural.
Professional miner Vasiliev worked in mines and lovingly collected minerals. To discover and show the beauty of minerals, for example, variegated jasper, it was required to master the methods of its processing, which he later applied in the decorative composition “The island of Buyan” (1995)
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‘Naiad with fish’. Made of chamotte clay with the use of engobes and glazes. Master of garden sculpture Svetlana Semyonova

Master of garden sculpture Svetlana Semyonova
A unique sculpture of Naiad with fish, made of chamotte clay. Soft lines of ceramics, a collective fantasy image can ideally and beautify decorate any zone of a garden, a pond, or a fountain in the spring-summer period. Traditionally, the artist uses for her garden sculptures – chamotte clay, and also works with bronze. In addition, Moscow based artist Svetlana Semyonova likes painting Christmas balls. Noteworthy, each sculpture created by Svetlana is a unique work of art, made in a single copy.
According to Svetlana Semyonova, her favorite material is ceramics and she enjoys the whole creative process, from the beginning to the end. “You can dream up here not only with the form, but also with the color. This material is beautiful and cunning at the same time. You never know exactly what you will get as a result”.
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Naive Painting by English artist Beryl Cook (10 September 1926 – 28 May 2008)

Naive Painting by English artist Beryl Cook
Undoubtedly, there is a difference between an amateur and a naive artist. The amateur is engaged in painting for the sake of pure pleasure, and considers this occupation his hobby. However, a naive artist, not being a professional, continues to work and learns to use traditional techniques, but this does not mean that his painting is imperfect. In addition, the naive artist is more obsessed, and his lack of academic training often leads to the development of a bright individual style. And this is true with regard to Beryl Cook, who for the first four years of work became famous throughout the country.
Born 10 September 1926 in Reading, a bustling town 40 km west of London, Beryl Cook created her first picture only 37 years later. Happily married, she lived in the former Rhodesia, when she suddenly had the idea to draw a portrait of her neighbor – a large Indian woman. This portrait remained her only work until she and her family returned to England, where they settled in Cornwall, on the remote south-west coast of the country.
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Family angel with one baby. Wooden sculpture 23-26 cm. Protecting angels by wood carver Nikolay Shiroky

Protecting angels by wood carver Nikolay Shiroky
Angels that remind us the most important is the family. Mom, Dad and their baby. No matter, a baby or an adult, parents always want to hide him under the wing from all sorrows and difficulties, and the angel can do it. The angel can cover the whole family with wings and protect it.
Russian artist wood carver Nikolai Shiroky makes amazing angels from birch, oak, and other trees. Among these angel there are no similar, each is unique and waits for its owner. According to Nikolay, he simply can not help making angels – it’s not he who chose his work, but the work chose him.
Noteworthy, angels created by avant-garde artist Nikolai Shiroky have no face, but they have a mood. Everyone to whom they “fly away” from under the light hand of the master, believe that angels bring happiness. Traditionally, Nikolay created unique author’s works: furniture, boxes and other interior items. In fact, angels came to his life about four years ago, and, as the master himself says, it was a miracle. Engaged in wood carving for about 20 years, now in any piece of wood he sees an angel which he must create. At first Nikolai simply made angels as a hobby and gave them to people. And then the creation of angels from wood became his main work.
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Paul Cesar Elle ‘Portrait of a young woman’, Singer Anna Sedokova, Ekaterina Rozhdestvenskaya photo reproductions of paintings

Ekaterina Rozhdestvenskaya photo reproductions of paintings
Born on July 17, 1957 in Moscow in the family of the poet Robert Rozhdestvensky and literary critic Alla Kireeva, Ekaterina Rozhdestvenskaya has become famous for her photo reproductions of paintings.
In fact, she started to take pictures in 1998, inspired by the luxurious outfits of famous people at the TEFI award ceremony. According to Rozhdestvenskaya, these people reminded her of the works of famous artists.
Thanks to the support of her husband, they organized a photo studio, where they invited famous actors, singers and politicians for shots.
Already in March 2000, her creative works appeared in the magazine “Caravan of stories”. Titled “Private collection”, these photographs based on the paintings by famous artists, attracted much attention from readers. By the end of 2001, more than 200 people have already starred in the project. Among them – well-known Russian politicians, TV presenters, actors and journalists, singers, and sportsmen. With the use of makeup, costumes, decorations, they resemble the heroes of the paintings of the great artists of the past.
Of course, within the limits of one publication, it is simply impossible to show all her works of the project “Private collection”. Therefore, I will introduce you only to some of them, published in magazine “Caravan of stories” in 2013.
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Tulips – yellow and white. 1961. 73 x 92 cm. Watercolors by Vietnamese impressionist artist Le Pho (August 2, 1907 – December 12, 2001)

Vietnamese impressionist artist Le Pho
Born August 2, 1907 in Vietnam, Le Pho received a scholarship to study at the Art School in Paris (1932). Returning to Vietnam, he taught at the Graduate School of Fine Arts in Hanoi. In 1937, he returned to Paris, where he lived until his death. Still lifes, landscapes with elongated figures of people, portraits of a woman with a child are a constant theme in his work.
Well-known in the west, the Parisian Impressionist of Vietnamese origin Le Pho created paintings which captivate by the soft, unobtrusive charm of colors. In addition to still life, the main theme of his paintings is a Woman – mother. More precisely, the idea of ​​motherhood. Noteworthy, his images are sketchy, like faces on icons. They always drown in flowers and look like exotic flowers. Perhaps, Le Foe grew up in a happy family and the charge of love that he received as a child, was enough for life. Or maybe it was his dream of such a happy family life.
Amazingly bright works. They do not even have shadows, only juicy colors and sunlight scattered all over the place. In this kingdom of harmony conflicts are impossible, therefore its inhabitants are full of peace and tranquility, walking in the garden, collecting flowers or playing with children.
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