For as long as I can remember myself, I’ve always wanted to be an artist. Sounds a little bit bizarre, but hardly any of us in their childhood has not ever dreamt about something significant and outstanding. To name but a few, many kids has a dream of being a firefighter, astronaut, actor or archaeologist. This way of life had become for me one of the most attractive because, in my opinion, scientists always had been those people close to the mysterious history, which I admired, looking intently at the posters in our classroom, devoted to the different the events from the history of Ancient Rome. I like copying these pictures, what’s more, I wrote down my thoughts and association, trying to get across my ideas.
I read a lot of books about famous Russian artists and artists from around the world. It was the amazing stories about geniuses of the Renaissance, French impressionists, and great Russian artists, in whose paintings the fantastic Russian landscapes were glorified. I can’t help but still admire their amazing artworks. Most of these artists studied at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, which was so distant from me at that time like the Athenian Parthenon or Paris Louvre. In those days, I couldn’t have imagined that I could cross its threshold or to teach students within its walls.
I thank my lucky stars for the opportunity to contact with such friendly people, outstanding artists as the professors of the Repin Art Institute Andrei Mylnikov, Alexander Korolev, Boris Lavrenko and many others whose advice was invaluable for me.
Nowadays I’m passing knowledge to my students. Not only do I like my job, but I think it’s my duty to follow my tutors’ guidelines and to cherish the best traditions of realism. Admittedly, it’s the best reward for the teacher to realize that you did a great job, helping somebody, and your students look forward to contact with you. It goes without saying that the curriculum of the Repin Art Institute is very demanding: it covers many areas of activity. Students have to draw and paint sketches with the live models, still-lifes, work on the sketches for the mural painting. Every summer our students have their practical practical training. They Paint outdoors and also copy the masterpieces of the world art in the museums. By doing so, the prospective painters, sculptors, and graphic artists acquire knowledge, perfect their skills expanding horizons. What can be more rewarding than awareness of your power to get across complicated ideas! To achieve the high level of proficiency you need to work hard: it is a very challenging and time-consuming process, the process of achieving perfection. Aiming high for me means to look up up to to the classical examples of world art, which have become eye openers for many artists.
Teaching within the wall of the Academy of Arts is not a job only, but the use of art as an excellent tool for communication. When imagining how such outstanding artists as Karl Brullov, Ilya Repin, Konstantin Ton were walking through these corridors, auditoriums, chambers, you can’t believe in that you are here in these premises. It is that what is called Genoa Loci (the Genius of the Place) for the artist: wherever you are, you can’t help but remember your Alma Mater and look up to the masterpieces of world art. Strangely, it may sound it looks the thing of the past, unnecessary nostalgia, and conservatism, it can’t be denied that while we are moving forward, the classical traditions shouldn’t be forgotten. Time goes by, however, this is not the reason to ignore the great traditions and achievements of the past. For me, as well as for most my colleagues, the St.Petersburg Academy of Arts embodies the live interconnection of the different historical periods, and my sense of belonging to this educational institution is the greatest thing which I am proud of.