“Krewe Des Femmes”

2018-2019

This series Krewe des Femmes is a celebration of talented, powerful, and inspirational women I met while living in New Orleans. My goal was to portray my subjects as complex on the outside as they are on the inside. I used heavy, confident brushstrokes and combine pastel and vibrant colors to create a striking contrast. These colorful expressions are highly influenced by my life in New Orleans. I am constantly inspired by the beautiful colors of the city’s architecture, culture and carnivals. The name of the series is inspired by female Mardi Gras krewes. In this collection, I apply layers of spray paint, oil and acrylics, along with different 3D elements in order to make every piece as unique as the women I portray.

My continuing exploration of reflective surfaces is expressed through the incorporation of gold leaf, holographic paper, and reversible sequin fabric into the paintings. This interest in reflective surfaces stems from my childhood in Russia admiring lavishly gilded interiors of churches and museums. Looking up at the mysterious golden worlds inside the reflections, I admired the ephemeral play between the surfaces and objects around them. My use of these surfaces creates artworks that reflect their surroundings just as we are reflections of our environment.