Elena Gladkova, Boulder Lake

There is so much beauty in the world, and it brings me immense joy to depict it and share it with the world. I particularly enjoy the honesty that painting from direct observation provides. I have always been fascinated by the old masters. Having been born in Moscow, I was taught to enjoy the masterpieces at the Tretyakov Gallery from an early age, and this fascination continued after coming to the United States as a child with many visits to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and later the Met, and others. My continuous learning journey and curiosity about painting brought me to study Classical Realism at Grand Central Atelier where I am currently an advanced studies student. While I have been creating for as long as I can remember, I had been away from an artistic career previously. However, six years ago I made the commitment to dedicate as much time as possible to art and this pursuit ultimately led me to quitting my corporate job to become an artist. The drastic career change makes me deeply grateful for every minute that I spend at the easel, in front of beautiful landscapes, still lifes, people, etc. Having spent time away from art only further ignited my passion for it.  I am always working on developing my skills and discovering the many facets of creating.  I was always an outdoor enthusiast with hobbies such as hiking, skiing, and rock climbing; however, once I found out I could paint outdoors my life changed. Being able to share the natural beauty captured in these sessions makes it even better. Painting outdoors truly makes you one with a particular place/ painting subject, forcing  you to be fully present in the moment, intimately intertwined with the here and now.  You love the subject even more through the process, remembering every ray of sunshine, and every tree or twig. The study of subjects outdoors and the type of thinking that plein air demands, opens new doors of appreciation into the natural phenomenon encountered.  I love standing outside in nature with nothing but my easel observing every curve of the earth, every tree, leaf, and cloud. Painting in a particular location engraves the beauty of that place deep inside your heart. You may not remember a place simply photographed in a few seconds, but making a multi-hour painting reveals the essence of a place to an artist and the art connoisseur. The feeling of the day, the warmth of the sun rays on your skin, or the droplets of rain, can be felt more acutely, and with a little luck captured in the work. My favorite time of day is the golden hour during the sunset, a magical time which has been capturing the imaginations of artists for centuries. I have been painting en plein air for several years now, and I love how fresh and heartfelt the paintings turn out. Nature is the greatest teacher of all subjects- beauty, art, harmony, peace.