MAIN | ARTIST

Nina Kukharets was born into a large family of hunters, in Nizhnye Kuryata a small town in Siberia. Her parents were the children of exiled Kulaks. Her family were hardworkers who were able to overcome the obstacles they faced; these are the qualities that Nina inherited from her parents. And from her mother Nina also received another exeptional gift: a love of painting. Nina remembers that her mother, even while busy with the large household, still found time to paint: with love she painted canvases with flowers and primitive plots.

After graduating from high school with honors, Nina moved to Krasnoyarsk and began studying in the fashion design department of the Technological College. It was here that she got her first taste of her future career. Nina dreamt of becoming an artist and was not afraid to take a risk in this. She wanted to travel and see her country. With this romantic dream, Nina moved to the Far East. Here she was married and give birth to a daughter. Here she also finished her artistic education in the Far East State Academy of Arts. Here she was first captivated by the ocean and since then has continually painted its endless views.

Nina received a strong foundation in the Realism school of art from many talanted professors at her academy. Her confident drawings, exceptional gift with color, creative mind and hard work resulted in the creation of a serious artist.

Nina is skilled in all the traditional genres, including compositions, wich have nearly dissappeared from modern art. Nina had one of her first professional successes with the composition “Kommunalka. Night.” In this painting, the traditional charecteristics of the Soviet School of Art are represented: wideness and an emotional and dramatic use of color. This painting expresses the soul and spirit of the kommunalka. The artist very effectively transmits the character of the three female subjects, combining humour and feelings, and lyric with grotesque.

Her simple but exquisite still-lifes are exceptional with their colorful meditations. The amazing ash-gray color, sometimes appearing with purple tones, provides a breathtaking depiction of light, atmosphere and shadows.

Nina’s most exceptional talent, however, lies in her landscapes, which are often small in size, but clearly convey emotional and philosophical feelings. In her paintings the viewer feels a connection with endlessness and infinity. This quality remains prominent in her painting even after her recent move from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Finland. Nina’s artistic work is moving and without fail leaves a lasting impression on the viewer.

Betsy Hoody.