Art Kaleidoscope

‘The wind of change’ brooch of polymer clay. ‘Tomorrow the wind will change, Tomorrow the past is over. It will come, and will be a kind, affectionate Wind of change. A miracle on the palm – Olga Ponomareva Miniature brooches

A miracle on the palm – Olga Ponomareva Miniature brooches

Chelyabinsk based young and beautiful artist Olga Ponomareva has been engaged in creativity since her earliest childhood. Designer by education, Olga has many hobbies. However, most of her free time the artist devotes to polymer clay. According to the master, she works with this material for about three years, but learned about polymer clay by accident. “Interestingly, the possibilities of this material are endless!”. In fact, before started creating jewelry, Olga experimented a lot. At the moment, she basically makes very refined and lovely brooches. First of all, everything starts with a sketch, and then comes time for the embodiment of the idea. In addition, according to the artist herself, she likes to work through each tiny brooch in detail. “It’s amazing to see how each piece of jewelry gets its character and personality.” Undoubtedly, each piece of a talented artist, designer and jeweler Olga Ponomareva has become a truly miracle on the palm of her hand. By the way, that’s the name of her online workshop.
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An angel with a bird. Materials – Ceramic tiles, tile printing, wood, author’s technique of sublimation printing. Handmade work by Gothic naive artist Pavel Nikolayev. Novorossiysk, Russia

Gothic naive artist Pavel Nikolayev
Novorossiysk based artist Pavel Nikolayev has been painting since the age of five. According to the artist himself, he can’t imagine his life without paints, and generally, without art. Meanwhile, inspired by the work of old masters, he created his own style, resembling “gothic naive”.

Although the artist experiments in different styles, yet his works in Gothic naive are something special. In particular, “An Angel with a Bird” – originally painted on wood, and then, by means of sublimation, the author made a print from it. Next, he transferred the image onto the ceramic tiles under the influence of high temperature and pressure. Such technique makes it possible to create bright and durable panel.
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In the city yard. Desk decoration. Gold, silver, jasper, quartz, uvarovite. Sirin jewelry company miniature sculpture

Sirin jewelry company miniature sculpture
Moscow based jewellery company Sirin has about twenty years of experience in the jewelry art. In the gallery of their workshops – a priceless collection of jewellery art. In particular, exquisite destop decorations, fabulous miniature sculptures, not to mention jewelry decorations – brooches, earrings, necklaces and more.

According to the information on their website, the company began working in 1991. Creating their author’s products, jewelers use gold, silver, diamonds, precious and semi-precious ornamental stones, pearls, colored enamels, and enamel inserts. Also, they use sophisticated techniques. For example, transparent colored enamels laid along the guilloche surface, stained-glass and cloisonne enamels, chasing, filigree, and the technique of small plastic. And the result of their creativity – awards and recognitions of national and foreign art exhibitions, companies and museums.
Highly appreciated by the art critics of the Armory Chamber and the Diamond Fund of Russia, specialists at the State Depository of values of the Russian Federation, Sirin collaborates with the largest companies De Beers and ALROSA. Works by jewelry company Sirin received numerous awards at international jewelry exhibitions in Russia, Switzerland, the USA, France and Austria.
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A mother and a daughter, Russian handmade dolls. Slavic faceless folk doll magical power

Slavic faceless folk doll magical power

Why does the Slavic folk doll have no face? Indeed, the traditional rag doll is faceless. As a rule, not indicated, the face remained white. Meanwhile, a faceless doll, as an inanimate object was inaccessible to the evil, unkind forces to get into it, and therefore harmless to the child. In addition, it had to bring him well-being, health, and joy. It was a true miracle: from several rags, without additional details – hands and legs, without a designated face, the master managed to produce the character of the doll. The doll was emotional, it could laugh and cry.
In fact, in ancient times, the dolls had another purpose, it protected from disease, misfortune, and evil spirits. The doll took care of a man, and was called: guardian or bereguinya. As a rule, the most protective were dolls, made without needles and scissors. Also, creating a doll, a master avoided cutting the fabric, instead, he/she used to tear it. That’s why such doll sometimes was called “rvanka” (from the Russian word “rvat'” – to tear).
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Hunt for red maple. Delicate Watercolor painting by Russian artist Anna

Painting by Russian artist Anna
According to Moscow based artist Anna, she “from time to time” draws for the soul. Most of all she loves watercolor, for its arbitrariness, transparency and discipline, which this technique requires from the artist.
By embodying a plan or simply impressed by chance, she tries to transfer emotions onto paper, and to paint them in colors. As the artist herself explains, “so that the moment that touched me remained with me even after a lapse of time”. Therefore, her drawings contain a lot of personal, and each of them is dear to her and valuable.
Some of her works decorated the walls in her house, while others were just kept in a folder. So, one day she decided to show some of kept in a folder drawings to the public. Actually, she hopes to sell these drawings to people, whom they will also bring joy. After all, having a work painted in real colors is a wonderful feeling!
Thanks to the master, her pictures show the elusive grace of nature where the world of harmony reigns.
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A Hungarian couple in traditional embroidered costumes. Hungarian folk art embroidery Matyo Roses

Hungarian folk art embroidery Matyo Roses
Any folk art is closely connected with life, the nature and the history of each people. Known for brightness of colors and variety, national Hungarian embroidery is stunning and recognisable. Noteworthy, each region of Hungary brings its own characteristics.
There are two types of Hungarian embroidery – matyo and kalocsi. Matyo includes black background and bright silk threads for bright floral patterns. Traditionally, the main motif is a large rose located in the center with smaller embroidered motifs around it, and each of them has its own significance. Also, the colors of embroidery bear special significance. For example, yellow means sun, black – the strength of the earth, blue – sadness, and green – mourning.
However, Kalocsi embroidery includes natural motifs and white thread. Gradually, embroiderers added other colors. Now there are 27 colors. The basis is white flax. Besides, each color has its own meaning: red – youth, flowering, yellow – the sun, and a combination of blue and violet – mourning.
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Detail of painting by English Pre-Raphaelite artist. Symbolic Death of Ophelia by Sir John Everett Millais (8 June 1829 – 13 August 1896)

Symbolic Death of Ophelia by Sir John Everett Millais

Known as “Ophelia” or “Death of Ophelia” (1851-1852) – a picture of the English Pre-Raphaelite artist Sir John Everett Millais, completed by him in 1852. At the heart of the picture is the plot of Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. However, this painting, exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in 1852, was far from immediately appreciated by contemporaries.
Beloved of Prince Hamlet, upon learning that he had killed her father Polonius, Ophelia became obsessed and committed suicide by drowning in the river. As the gravediggers say in the play, “her death is dark. If it were not for the order from the king, she would lie in the land of the uninitiated.”
The artist depicted Ophelia right after falling into the river, when her wreaths hang on the willow branches. She sings woeful songs, half submerged in water. Her pose – open arms, and her gaze directed to the sky – cause associations with the Crucifixion of Christ, and also often interpreted as erotic. The girl slowly sinks into the water against a bright, blooming nature. Her face has no panic or despair. Although death is inevitable, in the picture the time seems to be frozen. Millais managed to masterfully capture the moment that passes between life and death.

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