If I Could Have Opened My Heart

This paper examines the paintings included in my MFA thesis exhibition. The body of work presented in my thesis show is figurative and imaginative. I place figures in an imaginary landscape or interior to explore my physical, psychological and spiritual self as well as my memories, family history and my Russian heritage. I discuss several aspects of my work in this thesis. In Chapter One I discuss the autobiographical origins of my artwork, its philosophical foundations, and the creative process I developed during my graduate studies. Chapter Two explores artistic influences on my work and historical context in which my work developed. I discuss works by such artists as Silvia Sleigh, Sherry Short, Katherine Ace, Odd Nerdrum, Susan Hauptman, Andrew Wyeth, Michelangelo, Van Eyck and Hans Holbein. Chapter Three focuses on individual artworks presented in the thesis exhibition, their subject and content. Chapter Three also examines my artistic process which varies from more loose and intuitive use of color and brushstrokes to a more deliberate, indirect process of painting influenced by Old Masters