Art Kaleidoscope

Moon dool. Biscuit porcelain, textiles, acrylic paint. Artist AI Dubrovina. Doll Workshop at Lanskoy

Founded in 1996 in St. Petersburg “Doll Workshop at Lanskoy” is a team of talented artists creating unique collectible dolls, wearing national, historical and secular costumes. And also Christmas toys, dolls, animal toys, humorous dolls, fairy-tale characters and masks. Each doll is made by masters manually, individually, and together they create a complete image of the doll world, whose characters have prototypes in the history and folklore of St. Petersburg and Russia. Among the artists who have long worked at the studio: IV Bannikova, ON Bednichenko, AI Dubrovina, OV Zverlina, SY Krishtan. The art team is a member of the workshop of folk crafts of St. Petersburg. The dolls can be a perfect gift for the New Year, Christmas, birthday or any celebration or memorable event. They can decorate the house and office.
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Porcus Aurelius, life-size copper wire pig, now at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. Ruth Jensen Wire Sculpture

Ruth Jensen Wire Sculpture
Talented American sculptor and jeweler Ruth Jensen (Spark flight) lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. She is enthralled by wire, which she finds to be perfect for revealing the extraordinary beauty and transience of “ordinary” things. Interestingly, she creates each sculpture one twist at a time, without patterns or molds, using bazillions of pieces of straight wire. No solder, no molds, no preformed mesh, just hours of twisting. “I “see” the shape I want, and make the wires come together in that shape, like putting a puzzle together. (I love puzzles.) My pieces are meant to intrigue and delight you.”
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Sunset. Louise Goodchild miniature woven wire Jewellery

Louise Goodchild miniature woven wire Jewellery
British artist, designer, and jeweler Louise Goodchild creates truly artful jewellery. In particular, her collection consists of beautiful miniature handcrafted wire pendants made from colored copper wire, and glass seed bead. Besides, Louise Goodchild creates both traditional jewellery (mainly earrings) and more unique wire-work – little wearable wire pictures. Meanwhile, over the years, she has developed her own distinctive, instantly recognizable style. Noteworthy, Louise avoids using ready-made components in her wire pendants, so it’s always a challenge to create the motifs she needs from wire and beads. “Wire can do so many different things. Because of the immense variety of colors and gauges – and the fact that you can mix both of those up by twisting, plaiting etc. – there’s so much you can do with it…”. According to Louise, often if an idea jumps into her head and “keeps insistently poking her brain”, she’ll find a way to make it happen.
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Mimosa, Oil on canvas, 2011. Painting by Russian artist Oleg Burdastov

Born in 1965 in St. Petersburg Russian artist Oleg Burdastov (Oleg Burda), received technical education, though has always been interested in painting. As a child he attended local art school. However, at school, in the army, or in the institute, he always found something to draw – from the wall newspapers to combat leaflets. Noteworthy, Oleg Burdastov began painting seriously at the age of 39. First, he gave up a prestigious job. Second, he opened the first art studio in 2005. In addition, he met with professional artists of St. Petersburg, who helped him with the advice. Meanwhile, critics forced him to look for new directions in art. Finally, Burdastov sold everything he could, and bought the land in the village of Leningrad region. There, he began to build the house – studio, hoping to get away from the hustle and bustle, just to be closer to nature. And only occasionally he comes to the city to participate in art exhibitions.
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She was carrying repulsive, alarming yellow flowers in her hand. Mimosa in art. Painting by unknown artist

‘And I was struck not so much by her beauty as by an extraordinary loneliness in her eyes, such as no one had ever seen before! Obeying this yellow sign, I also turned down the lane and followed her. We walked along the crooked, boring lane silently, I on one side, she on the other. And, imagine, there was not a soul in the lane. I was suffering, because it seemed to me that it was necessary to speak to her, and I worried that I wouldn’t utter a single word, and she would leave, and I’d never see her again. And, imagine, suddenly she began to speak:
‘ “Do you like my flowers?” (Mikhail Bulgakov. The Master and Margarita)
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Rhianna, 2014. Millennium Faces Mosaic Portraits. Work by St. Petersburg based artist Tatiana Smirnova

Millennium Faces Mosaic Portraits
Based in St. Petersburg Russian artist Tatiana Smirnova is the author of these beautiful mosaic posrtraits. First, it all began when Tatiana founded a mosaic art studio. Then, she invited artists and restorers led by Vladimir Ignatiev. As a result, the team of talented artists have created the beautiful gallery of mosaic portraits from smalta. And inspired by vintage beautifies of the past Tatiana Smirnova prefers working in mosaic technique too. The result is impressive – the series of mosaic portraits of most famous actresses of the past, and icons of style. In particular, Greta Garbo and Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe and Rhianna, as well as a Portrait of her daughter, and more. As for male celebrities, their portraits included in the mosaic series “Faces of the Millennium”. Among them portraits of Michael Jackson, Bonaparte, Pierre Cardin, Kevin Costner, Dave Gahan (Depeche Mode), Joe Cocker, Justin Timberlake and others.
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Bosham – December 2007. Landscape Painter Joe Francis Dowden

English Landscape Painter Joe Francis Dowden paints hyper-realistic watercolors. And he believes that it is the power of everyone. The secret of skill of the artist is simple: he has thrown out textbooks on watercolor for long, and began to walk in the forest, noticing and watching every detail of the future landscape. Joe Francis Dowden has exhibited his Landscape and Seascape watercolors mostly in Great Britain – the Sunday Times Exhibition, Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolor, Laing Art Exhibition, Chichester Open, Barings ING – Platform 100, World of Drawings and Watercolors, British Modern Masters, Royal Society of Marine Artists.
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