Recording Your Work…

Following on from yesterday’s post, a mostly photographic post today…

“Natalia Stefanova – phantasy rooted in Russian tradition”, “She refers to herself as a ‘visual artist’ which probably describes her work best. “I make figurative compositions with a touch of mysticism and magic realism”, she says. “I look at my paintings from a gnostic perspective; with an intuitive knowledge of the world”.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

An Architectural Basis…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Continuing with my posts about the Russian painter Natalia Stefanova, and the translation into English of the Dutch text of an interview for “ArtiBrak” by Ine van den Boer.

(Permission was obtained for translation and use in my blog).

“Natalia Stefanova – phantasy rooted in Russian tradition”,

“Although she graduated as an architect, Natalia started to paint in the Netherlands.

“That is not so strange” she explains. “The architecture study programme in Russia takes six years and is very broad.

Constructional drawing, but also free drawing and painting are an important part of it. So I have always been drawing.“

She also attended the art school of Julia Schult in Chimky, a Moscow suburb.

For years Natalia worked as an architect and later as an interior designer in Moscow. She married and had two children.

The younger one (now grown) has moved in with her and Bob in The Hague.

“After the perestroika there were more rich people in Russia who bought villas which had to be decorated. There was plenty of work”, she explains.”

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Russia Is Grey, The Netherlands Is Green…

Another instalment of Russian painting from one of my Parels” (Pearls) day visits. I’m, also continuing with the translation of an article written about her Ine van den Boer given for the “ArtiBrak” publication. (Text translated and used with permission)

“Natalia Stefanova – phantasy rooted in Russian tradition”,  “In 2005 Natalia (born in 1958 in Yekaterinburg, Russia) came to the Netherlands for  (her now husband). This time the move was permanent, after she had visited a few times and love persisted. Natalia loves the Netherlands, the sea, the dunes and the people. “The Netherlands is green and the people are open and they always smile”. She says. “I had a good life in Moscow, but whenever I return to Russia I think the people are sullen and the country is grey”.

Well, there is certainly no grey in Natalia’s house, it’s filled to the brim with paintings and colour.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Natalia’s Russian Roots…

My next visit along one of the recent “Parels” (Pearls) routes, was to a Russian painter. She and her husband showed me an article written about her, written by Ine van den Boer for the “ArtiBrak” magazine and Natalia was happy for me to use the text in these next series of posts. Himself did the translation for me (Thank You Sweetheart!) which was much appreciated, but instead of dumping a wall of text (in italics) in one post, I will divide it up and add in with the paintings over the following days.

“News Flash”, “Natalia Stefanova – phantasy rooted in Russian tradition”
“Natalia Stefanova used to work as an architect and interior designer in Moscow, until true love made her move to the Netherlands. Over here she started to paint, but she didn’t forget her Russian roots. Last year she became an active member of ArtiBrak.”

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

This next painting fascinated me, not just because the lady in it looks directly at the viewer, but also because of the amazing array of brushstrokes and colour that Natalia has used to build up the image. I thought for the arty ones amongst us, a mega-close-up view of if would be appreciate and (hopefully) inspiring!

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

e

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

f

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

The Dutch article, translations to follow in the next posts…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)