Art Gallery

Alright, now that I've bored you with all this technical talk about art, maybe you'd like to know a little more about the artist.

I was born in Russia in 1957, and I've been trying both hands (I'm ambidextrous) at art ever since. I can remember my self from the age of two, and when I was three, I was the terror of my mother's make-up kit, as I loved to draw murals on the wallpaper with her lipstick. All through my childhood I continued drawing, and in high school, though I left much to be desired in my other classes, I excelled in art and singing. I think that I was not a good student in other areas, because I prefer to teach than to be taught. Eventually though, I learned to learn.

In 1972 I entered the State Art College in Baku, where impressionistic, realistic, and abstract painting were taught...but no classical. I joined other students in minor revolts against communism by growing my hair out, looked for hot chicks, and even studied quite a bit. In 1976 I graduated, and went to work at the Reseach Institute of Design in Moscow. From1986 to 1990 I lived in Moscow and worked as a graphic artist and illustrator for magazines published by the main Russian Press Agency, "Novosti" (News). I also designed posters for leading pop singers and rock groups during this period of time, but my most important work was the active and attentive study of the technique of the old masters such as Rubens, Van Dyke, and Snyders. This is when I met Nikolai Shurigin, a successful artist and Russian patriot, who, though younger than me, had already discovered much about this technique and was powerful both in his painting and in his personality. I learned much from and with him.

I left Russia for the first time in 1988, when I visited Italy to study the paintings in the museums and exhibit some of my own. In 1989 I opened Rubens Gallery in Moscow, under the sponsorship of the central youth newspaper, "Komsomolskaya Pravda". I also took part in numerous exhibitions in Moscow, which were covered by the Russian Press.

I have been living and working in the USA since 1990, and it's a good thing, because if I were still in Russia, I never would have made this beautiful web page for you to enjoy. This unique classical technique is practiced by very few artists at this time and is no longer taught in art schools. My works are in private collections in many countries around the world.

As for me, I may paint to live, but I live to fish. When I'm not at the easel or the computer, you can find me on the lake, catching the record-breaking bass!

Or playing pool... when people ask me what you do? usually my answer is I'm an pool player... but for living I do Art

Exhibits.

I stopped counting when I thought I had enough exhibitions listed for my resume, but if you're really interested in all the others, let me know, and I'll count them just for you.

1995 Art Festival, Carmel, CA
1994 Runnings Gallery, Seattle, WA
1994 Classic Art Gallery, Carmel, CA
1993 Classic Art Gallery, Carmel, CA
1993 Runnings Gallery, Seattle, WA
1992 Elaine S. Baker & Associates, annual fall show, Anchorage, AK
1992 ARTEXPO, Los Angeles, CA
1992 Elaine S. Baker & Associates, annual spring show
1991 Picture This Gallery, Eagle River, AK (group show)
1991 Elaine S. Baker & Associates, Anchorage, AK
1991 "New Horizons", Fairbanks, AK
1991 Elaine S. Baker & Associates, annual spring show, Anchorage, AK
1991 "Artique Gallery", Anchorage, AK
1991 St. John Orthodox Cathedral, Eagle River, AK
1991 Sale Exhibition of paintings from Russia at the US National Picture
Gallery, Nashville, Tennessee
1991 An auction of paintings by cinema artists, organized by the
Phillips company, London, Great Britain
1989 An auction of paintings at the Central House of Artists, Moscow,
Russia
1989 A sale exhibition of paintings at the Central House of Cinematographers,Moscow, Russia
1989 Autumn exhibition in M. Gruzinskaja, Moscow, Russia
1988 Exhibition at the Festival in Tavazzano, Italy
1988 First auction of paintings by cinema artists, Moscow, Russia
1987 Exhibition of the young artists of the group "ARBATR", Moscow, Russia
1985 Spring exhibition of Moscow artists in M.Gruzinskaja, Moscow, Russia
1978,
1983 Participation in the exhibitions in the Azerbaidzan State Gallery of Painting, Baku, Azerbaidzan