“I paint the beauty of ordinary things and people and my thoughts about this world.”
Elvira Kravenkova is an award-winning Canadian artist residing in greater Vancouver area. She works in impressionistic realism style rooted in her Russian background. She was born and started her art education in Russia and later, after coming to Canada with her family, continued her art education going through Anatoly Badriashwilli’s studio and Mandy Boursiqout’s Atelier.
Elvira is teaching art since 2016 when she was invited to instruct at a private art school and started to teach at her studio. Kravenkova’s works are in private collections in Russia, Australia, Italy, Israel, USA and Canada. She shows her works internationally and in Canada (including multiple juried and curated shows). In last three years she participated in four museum shows in the US and Canada.
What is the impetus of your creativity?
I can not stay away from my art materials for too long, at least a graphite pencil and my sketch book should always be in my car or in my purse. While other people talk about their day, I sketch my impressions of the day. Art is my way to communicate with the world and the thing that helps me to get through even toughest times of my life. It also helps me to find like-minded people who finally become my friends and collectors. So, the impetus of my creativity is my love to life and interesting people.
What is your art philosophy?
World is beautiful. Even when I go through some terrible times, my ability to find beauty everywhere, helps me to get through. I remember my conversation with my grandmother when she was about eighty-six. She told me that she was tired of life and a few minutes later she asked if I could help her to replace her window curtains with something nicer. My answer was: Sure. And then I laughed and told her it means she is not tired of this life. She also laughed and said she is tired but she still wants to be surrounded by beautiful things. With the help of my art, I try to teach people to notice wonders and beauty of this world.
What medium do you use for your studies and how does that translate to the final painting or artwork?
For my studio works I spend a lot of time to do preparation. I start with multiple thumbnail sketches, which are done with graphite pencil, trying to find the best composition and light. I also use my reference photos when I need them. After I decide what thumbnail sketch is the best for my painting, I start doing color studies where I use either watercolors or oil paint. My choice really depends on my mood, it is not my technical decision.
If I work with a model, I usually start sketching with charcoal or Conte crayon and later work with oil paints. For my final paintings, I usually use oil paints which is the medium that I love more than anything else for its versatility.
Do you ever venture out of your creative process to try out new things?
Since my education does not include art only (I am also trained in science and medicine), I love to experiment. The longevity of my art career gave me the chance to go through different styles and different mediums. I was trained in classical realism and started to show my works as a realist.
Later, when I needed some challenge, I decided to try abstractionism. It was a period of my super-bright works that were done in acrylics. I still have one of my abstract works on display in my living room. It is titled Sunny Day and helps us to survive long gray West Coast winters. My personality always moves me from one thing to another and does not allow me to get stuck. After awhile I got tired of my abstractionism period and got back to realism, this time it is impressionistic realism. I also love to try different mediums, including some digital sketching and try to incorporate the results into my oil paintings.
New things always inspire me and keep me learning.
This portrait was inspired by the personality of Anna Rivina who used to fight for the most vulnerable people in Russia and now, after being forced to leave Russia, started to protect women and children who are going through difficulties of adaptation after they had to leave their own home countries.