March 20, 2008

new work catch up..

Last night I finally managed to take good pictures of my latest windows. Питерские Окна/Piterskie Okna/St. Pete Windows 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,and 6. My obsession continues, obviously I can't stop myself. But I do think that these collages are different, they are after all based on city windows this time. They were inspired by the windows of St. Petersburg, Russia, my native city. Here are detail pictures from each one...
number 1number 2number 3number 4number 5number 6 I really wanted to show the decaying elegance of this city, which at the same time is infused with the energy of rebirth. There is so much going on there these days, it is shaking off the years of communism with this new youthful energy, yet the decay of those years is still very evident. When I was there this past summer, I was very invigorated by that energy, yet at the same time felt nostalgic.. Hopefully I have managed to capture in this work those feelings that I find so hard to express in words...
The materials I used are pre-stretched canvas (12"x12") that I painted with acrylic paint and layered with papers, dryer sheets, dye catcher sheets, scraps of silk, cotton and synthetic fabrics which were free-hand machine embroidered and hand stitched and then painted with oil sticks.
And just in case this post doesn't have enough pictures in it, here are a few photos of the actual windows that inspired me.

7 comments:

Annica said...

Beautiful! Love the pics of the details!
The photos from St Petersburg are great! I have never been there but I hope to go some day.

sukipoet said...

Wonderful windows. Both yours and St. Petersburg's.

Kristin L said...

Beautiful. I love the richness of all your layers and bits.

Unknown said...

Your obsession is great - they all look so different and lovely - there is so much hand work in them!!

hippopip said...

Your windows are beautiful, I love the closeup pictures ,very well done with great depth

Natalya Khorover Aikens said...

thank you all! and I still have wounds on my fingers...

Vivien Zepf said...

I absolutely LOVE these!