Simonova Olga

Biography

Beauty and harmony of the image


Painting is a very special path in art. Contrary to popular belief, it cannot be reduced to just the magic of color or the richness of texture, since it fully depends on the ability to feel life, record moments of human memory and then embody what is found in the material.
Olga Simonova is a bright and gifted painter. At first glance, she turns to the simplest subjects: landscapes, still lifes, pastorals, simple genre scenes. In the era of digital technology, Olga is still close to the idea of an easel realistic painting as the final form, expressing the subject so clearly that it is the content in itself. Thus, the artist does not break with traditions, but, on the contrary, updates them. A sensitive and thoughtful author, Olga, of course, could not ignore the influence of outstanding Russian and Soviet artists, from the brothers Konstantin and Vladimir Makovsky to Yuri Pimenov and Alexander Deineka. According to Simonova, she is attracted by the idea of ​​synthesizing the spiritual and physical beauty of a person. So the plot turns out to be nothing more than an excuse to create images of true beauty and harmony. Perhaps, for a sophisticated viewer, these images are a little naive, because the heroes of Olga’s works are most often lovely children and young girls. However, the author’s ability to maintain direct expressiveness, characteristic drawing and freshness of colors is in itself amazing and cannot but cause admiration.
The general public has always been concerned about the role of the geographical environment in the development of painting: just remember Vincent van Gogh’s Arles or Isaac Levitan’s Plyos. Perhaps Olga Simonova’s colors are so sonorous and rich because she was born and raised on the Black Sea coast of Russia, in the city of Sochi. The southern climate regularly feeds her natural talent. At the same time, Olga has serious academic training: behind her shoulders is the painting department of the Krasnodar Art School and the art and graphic department of the Kuban State University. Currently she is a member of the Creative Union of Artists of Decorative and Applied Arts and the Eurasian Art Union. Simonova regularly exhibits: she has five solo and more than twenty group exhibitions. She regularly takes prizes at international painting competitions, participates in various plein airs, and conducts public master classes. Many of Olga’s paintings are in private collections in Russia, near and far abroad. Four of her works replenished the collection of the Sochi “Museum of Ballet”, opened in the Villa “Nadezhda”, which once belonged to the famous ballet historian Sergei Khudekov.
The artist’s joyful, generous, sincere work is in demand and popular. With their elusive charm and inexhaustible love of life, Olga Simonova’s paintings suggest the beauty and mystery of human existence hidden from the profane gaze, and that we are not accidental in this world. The world was created for us and awaits not only our grateful contemplation, but also our active participation.

Epishin A. S.
Ph.D. in History of Arts,
member of the Union of Artists of Russia, member of the AIS (Association of Art Critics)