A Tapestry magazine interview with Olea Nova

AS A WRITER tells a story with words that express thoughts on paper, Olea Nova, originally from St. Petersburg, Russia also tells a story with paint, images, and canvas. Olea Nova has lived in the United States since 1997. She loves jokes and it is evident when looking at some of her artwork. Do not be fooled, though: Olea takes her work as a painter very seriously.

How would you describe your work - either in general terms, or in reference to specific pieces, mediums, forms, etc?

Each work of mine has a touch of humor and I approach each piece as a kind of free fantasy. There is a serious side to my work but I don't want to depress or bore people. The serious side is there, perhaps all the more so as it is seen through something playful. The jokers in my work are not dressed performers -- they symbolize human desires, motivations, and, as jokers have a habit of doing interruptions and distractions. My joker is like Mephistopheles' character in Goethe's "Faust" though perhaps not so sinister. He is part tempter, part illusionist. He is the person you want to see him as, and he takes advantage of your dreams to work his own will. People see in him many faces depending on their desires.

What kinds of things spark your interest -- as an artist, or in general?

In my paintings, I like to capture the joys and ironies of many sides of life: love, pain, success and loss, games people play, addictions, and fascination with role-playing and the world of the casino. I am deeply interested in human psychology.

My painting Kaleidoscope probably can be used as an example of how I approach a painting. The painting is my interpretation of New York City.

Kaleidoscope, oil on canvas

I started to work on it last autumn after my husband and I visited New York City. What originally sparked the idea for this painting was a homeless man I saw on one of the Manhattan streets. He was sitting alone on the edge of the sidewalk surrounding himself with rubbish and old pieces of rugs and cloth. At first, I saw him from the back and I thought I was seeing a woman, since he was wearing a hood. As I walked by I looked back to see his face. His eyes were piercing me with life-fire. I still remember his face and his eyes looking at me. I thought about what had brought him to where he is now -- there is so much life happening around him and he is not a part of it, or maybe he is one of the parts that makes a society kaleidoscope.

Were you influenced by another artistic person to become a painter?

Growing in St. Petersburg, Russia I was surrounded by art and culture; I had access to world masterpieces in the Hermitage museum and every day I was passing by wonderful examples of 18-19 centuries of architecture in downtown St. Petersburg. I admired old masters and was impressed with their work. I think this is where my original inspiration is coming from.

Have you taken any formal training in art?

Yes, I took a few art classes from professional artists in Russia and America. However, for the most part I am self-taught artist. I obtained a Masters Degree in management a the university in Russia.

Are there patterns to your artwork? Themes, ideas, motifs, etc. that you work with in slightly different ways?

There is a separation between themes in my work. One theme is about pain and another about fun. Nevertheless, each work of mine has a touch of humor in it. The only art project that has an exception from this "rule" is the Silent Witness Project. What is common to all the artwork that I do, is my approach to it.

What kind of impact do you think you -- or any artist, for that matter -- can have on other people, as a painter?

Artwork may communicate with people. Men and women who saw my Piercing Conflict series commented that is reminds them about their pain. They see themselves in the images and very often exclaim with a smile, "That looks like me two days ago!" Some may say that people don't want to be reminded about their pain. Others seeing this type of art may gain a positive knowledge that they are not alone in suffering. And they may have an opportunity to smile.

Has your cultural heritage influenced your artwork/ artistic sensibility? Has moving to the United States done so?

Yes, some elements in my artwork are definitely Russian. For example, my use of bright colors was influenced by the style of miniature paintings on traditional Russian lacquer boxes. In my painting Temptation I included the Russian musical instrument called a balalaika. Usually the balalaika is associated with Russian folklore. This unique musical instrument has three strings and can be played with the fingers or a pick.  In the painting, the balalaika is playing a musical tune as does the phonograph. As they play they produce dis-harmonized sound, which is like a subtle undertone of uncertainty in the feeling of temptation.

Can you speak to cultural differences between Russia and the United States, where the art are concerned?

In my opinion art has no country borders. And it is very contingent upon someone's personal taste. What I did notice is that more artists in Russia are working in traditional style and American artists are working more in the direction of abstract painting techniques.

On my web site I am conducting an Art Market Research Study survey. The primary goal of this survey is to learn about similarities and/or differences between how artists and non-artists understand, relate to, feel about, and appreciate art. The data that I received from survey participants living in different parts of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Scotland, and Netherlands in the last year shows that there is no single opinion about what art style is popular today: but participants were more likely to choose abstract or conceptual art directions.

When I conducted this survey in the La Crosse area in 2000 during different art events, most participants were saying that realism is more popular. On the question, "What art style do you appreciate the most?" participant artists almost equally divided their answers between Impressionism and Realism, and participant non-artists definitely were looking for Realism. Both groups of participants were confident in their art tastes; however, participant artists selected the option, "Trying to balance my own taste with the "general trends" more often.

Artwork copyright c Olea Nova 2001-2010. All rights reserved.
Reproduction and/or distribution of images seen on this site is not allowed without written permission of the artist.
Artworks may or may not be available. Please contact the artist for more information.