From the press
Notes from Vladimir P. Kuznetsov's Solo Exhibition
Everyone who loves art, who is moved by works of visual expression, never overlooks events such as an exhibition. This is especially true in a rural district like ours, where exhibitions are not a frequent occurrence in our cultural life.
Just before the New Year, a solo exhibition by the self-taught artist Vladimir Petrovich Kuznetsov opened at the art gallery in the settlement of Uva. Since its opening, the exhibition has attracted many visitors, who have left numerous warm and appreciative comments in the guestbook.
I would like to share my own thoughts about the artist's work. First, I am convinced that an event like this serves as another important means of aesthetic education for the public. Second, it tells the story of the artist's creative journey and presents the results of his dedicated work. The gallery displays about one hundred works representing a wide variety of genres and subjects.
A few words about the landscapes. They reveal the artist's soul, his innermost reflections on the meaning of life and humanity's place in nature. In these modest, unpretentious paintings we recognize the familiar places that are dear to every native of Uva. The landscape painter is one of our own. He loves to depict secluded, peaceful, and intimate corners of the countryside. Many paintings feature farmyards with traditional log houses—the kind that make up the greater part of our settlement. These landscapes clearly express the artist's affection for rural life.
One particularly beautiful painting is "March." It is filled with lyricism and tranquility, yet also with a sense of joyful anticipation. It portrays that wonderful moment when, after the severe frosts, spring finally begins to arrive. It is the season when one longs to breathe deeply the fresh, renewing air of spring. I am especially fond of this painting. It seems completely bathed in sunlight.
Another memorable work is "The Courtyard." Everything depicted—the peasant house, the yard, the neatly cleared path, the leafless birch trees without which the landscape of central Russia would be unimaginable—is illuminated by the pale winter sun, which gives light without warmth.
The landscape "Autumn" is painted in vivid colors. The birches and aspens blaze in the final fiery display of the season. The distant horizon is veiled in a bluish haze. The grass has withered. Two elderly women, themselves living through the autumn of their lives, stand quietly in the scene. The birches burn with brilliant, flaming color.
The painting "After the Rain" conveys the freshness and purity of untouched nature. Its shades of green are rich, deep, and natural. The rain has only just stopped. Everything seems suspended in stillness. The trees have not yet shaken the moisture from their branches. Yet something in nature has already changed. In another moment, the sun will emerge, and everything around will sparkle with radiant light.
The paintings "The Village" and "Study with a Cart" speak of the connection between past and present. They reflect the artist's thoughts about history, the passage of time, and the traditional rural way of life that has taken shape over generations.
The colors in most of Vladimir Kuznetsov's paintings are gentle and restrained. He has a remarkable ability to combine them in a way that reveals the beauty of his native land and the harmony of places that may at first seem ordinary and familiar.
For everyone born in our district, the idea of home begins with one's own village and the district center. The paintings of this self-taught artist inspire love for one's native land and encourage us to look more carefully at the beauty that surrounds us. Vladimir Petrovich Kuznetsov's works will undoubtedly find their way into the hearts of all who cherish nature.
All that remains is to thank the artist for his work and for the pleasure his paintings bring to so many people. May he continue to create with inspiration, and may many successful new ideas lie ahead of him.
R. Chernova
Journalist
Izhevsk to Host Vladimir Kuznetsov's Watercolors
On April 15, a personal exhibition of the Uva artist Vladimir Petrovich Kuznetsov opened in the exhibition hall of the Union of Artists of the Udmurt Republic. Since the passing of this sensitive master of brush and canvas, his works have been lovingly preserved by his family—his wife Lyudmila, his son Oleg, and his daughter Marina.
For any artist, exhibiting in such a prestigious venue would undoubtedly have been both a joy and a significant achievement. Kuznetsov's works were discussed by leading painters of the republic. Among those attending the opening were artists already familiar to the people of Uva: Anatoly Russkikh, Vyacheslav Medvedev, Vitaly Okun, Olin, and others. Many remarked on the delicate sensibility of the creator of these gentle, luminous landscapes. On the one hand, they depict the everyday world that we have become accustomed to overlooking; on the other, they are imbued with an enduring mystery that no matter how hard one tries, can never be fully unraveled.
Every brushstroke, every subtle gradation of tone, even the texture of the trees—which would seem impossible to render in the "alla prima" watercolor technique (painting with watercolors on wet paper)—is astonishingly tangible. Standing before these paintings, the viewer can almost feel the smooth bark of a spring birch and even recall its scent, just as one remembers the fragrance rising from the rain-soaked autumn earth. And the snow-like blossoms of the bird cherry seem to whirl through the air, almost overwhelming the senses. It is profoundly earthly—and yet it feels like paradise.
Konstantin Reznitsky, Chairman of the Union of Artists of Udmurtia, admitted that although he had seen Kuznetsov's works many times before, they continued to draw him back. During the installation of the exhibition alone, he found himself walking through it at least five times. Such an irresistible attraction, he noted, is the mark of genuine artistic mastery. Once again, he expressed his regret that Vladimir Petrovich had never become a member of the Union of Artists of Udmurtia. To honor his memory, he gladly presented a Union membership card to Nadezhda Vorontsova, Deputy Director for Artistic Affairs and Head of the Fine Arts Department of the Uva Museum.
Speaking about his father, Oleg Kuznetsov remarked that these landscapes should flow like a healing balm into the hearts of city dwellers visiting the exhibition. Amid concrete and asphalt, noise and endless urban bustle, this exhibition becomes a true gift. Perhaps it will inspire someone to leave the city behind and discover the beautiful landscapes of the Uva region—with its meadows, rivers, and the chance to reconnect both with nature and with oneself.
Representatives of the Uva District Department of Culture also attended the exhibition. Marina Goloviznina, Head of the Department, who had known the artist personally, spoke warmly of him. She recalled how, many years ago, the entire department had gone together to help with the potato harvest. Vladimir Petrovich invariably managed to find some discarded, seemingly useless object. In his hands, these odd little discoveries took on a new life. Every forgotten item found its purpose again, as though it had been given a second breath. According to Marina Nikolaevna, his apartment resembled a museum, and she left it deeply impressed by his remarkable ability to see old objects in an entirely new way.
She also fondly remembered the enchanting little garden house that Vladimir Petrovich had built with his own hands. A hydrangea bush presented by the Department of Culture will preserve the memory of the artist—of his sensitive soul and his gifted hands. And as fellow artists once again studied his paintings, they referred to him by the title he had truly earned:
Master.
Olga Chichirko
Journalist
The Echo of Watercolor
Those who have ever tried painting with watercolors know that it is one of the most demanding artistic techniques. On February 28, young talents, accomplished artists, and admirers of watercolor's lightness, transparency, and subtle color transitions gathered for the Interregional Festival and Competition "To the Sound of Watercolors."
In the library, where the contestants worked, 85 magical landscapes came to life before the audience's eyes. The creative process was both impressive and mesmerizing. The artists drew their inspiration from the poem "Fog" by Uva poet Polina Mashtaler. In another room, participants created watercolor greeting cards dedicated to Maslenitsa, the traditional Slavic spring festival.
At the same time, the district House of Culture "Yunost" hosted master classes by renowned watercolor artists. Olga Peshkova from Perm demonstrated the technique of the "Contemporary Still Life," while Evgenia Krutova from Pushkin, Moscow Region, introduced participants to watercolor painting inspired by Boris Pasternak's poem "Pines". Representatives of the Nevskaya Palitra art materials factory also invited visitors to create greeting cards featuring iris motifs.
This year, more than 170 students from 22 art schools took part in the festival. They came from Izhevsk, Glazov, Votkinsk, Mozhga, and the districts of Seltinsky, Syumsinsky, Uvinsky, Zavyalovsky, Igrinsky, Kiyasovsky, Malopurginsky, Alnashsky, Mozhginsky, Votkinsky, and Sarapulsky.
The competition is dedicated to the memory of the Uva watercolor artist Vladimir Kuznetsov. It has been held annually in Uva since 2010, and for the third consecutive year it has carried interregional status.
Sofya Meshcheryakova, Mozhga:
"I've been studying at an art school for four years. On my way here, I thought the assignments would be much more difficult, but the theme actually turned out to be quite manageable. For me, a much harder subject would have been painting my hometown of Mozhga. I was really hoping that wouldn't be the topic.
Everyone at the competition was very well prepared, and all the participants created impressive works. I'm not sure whether my fog in the autumn forest turned out as intended—it looks more like a pile of snow! But if I don't win, it's not a problem. I'll come back next year."
Daria Yakovleva, Izhevsk:
"I really enjoyed the competition because of its warm and creative atmosphere. Nobody disturbed or distracted anyone. My idea came together exactly as I had imagined.
I've attended art school for more than seven years, and I've been working with watercolors for the last three. I love competitions like this because they give me confidence. I'd gladly come again—even on my own."
Agata Khuchinaeva and Arina Bazilevskikh, Uva:
"Polina Sergeyevna Bazilevskikh told us about the competition. She believes we're good at watercolor studies and said we definitely had to participate.
The task wasn't difficult—we painted a landscape, and there was enough time. Some girls working beside us produced incredibly strong and realistic paintings. We think we did quite well too. Competitions like this are meant to challenge yourself."
Anastasia Georgiyevskikh, Syumsi:
"I want to connect my future with art. I've been studying at art school for six years and I'm currently in seventh grade, so I still have time to decide exactly what path to take.
This is my first time at this particular competition. I've taken part in similar ones before, but without much success—probably because the theme wasn't announced beforehand. This time we knew the subject in advance. My teacher, Alexei Viktorovich, told me about the competition a week ahead and encouraged me to participate.
At first I thought I'd simply send in my work online, but when I learned we had to travel here, I decided I definitely wanted to come. I don't regret it at all. Today everything turned out just as I had planned. I tried not to look at the other participants' paintings so I wouldn't become discouraged or unconsciously imitate them."
Yana Vinokurova, Uva:
"This is my very first competition. I was nervous, but I felt prepared. I knew immediately what I wanted to paint. I heard about the competition at art school.
At first I hesitated, but after thinking it over I decided to test myself. Competitions build resilience and teach you how to manage your time effectively. I'll definitely participate again next year."
Ekaterina Nazarova, Izhevsk:
"I've been painting with watercolors for two years, although I have more experience working with gouache and other artistic media. I've participated in many competitions.
My art teacher told me about this event. She often encourages us to enter competitions. I quickly understood what I wanted to paint today. The composition came to me while the poem was being read aloud.
This competition gave me an opportunity to test my abilities and gain valuable new experience."
Uva Online District Children's and Youth Newspaper
https://vk.com/uvaintouch