Russian Intrigue

Have you ever felt a love and kinship for a place you've never been? Or even know very well? I have a place like this. A place I've loved since I was a little girl, and I really have no idea how it sparked. The place I love from far away? It's Russia.

Photo of Moscow found here

I'm not sure how it started. I can remember the love blossoming as far back as grade school when a teacher read us a Russian fairytale. I love the art, so dark and mysterious but vibrant. It also dovetailed beautifully into other interests of mine, such as ballet and figure skating, stories and art. I had a Russian pen pal, collected Matryoshka dolls, and I even had a string of Russian named cats--- Sasha, Natasha....there was a Katerina Witt-skers, but she was named after a certain German figure skater ;)

Then as a teenager I became obsessed for a good long while with anything Romanov. They were the last ruling tsarist family of Russia. I read anything about Anastasia, truly hoping that she had escaped the family's sad fate. And I was probably more pleased than your average Okie when the whole family was declared saints by the Russian Orthodox Church.

The last Grand Duchesses of Russia from the book "Anastasia's Album"

Lately I've been thinking more and more about Russia and my love of the art and stories. At Deluxe a pair of little girls who study Russia and its culture came to my booth and said many of the paintings reminded them of Russian fairytales and folk heroes. I wondered, had it seeped in subliminally? Then a friend of mine bought me some little Russian-inspired trinkets because, she declared, I was obviously secretly Russian ;)

And so, with all this spinning in my mind along with wintery snowscapes and fairytales, Katusha was created:

"Katusha" is a small but rich painting and I really wish the camera and the scanner could truly capture her rich depth. She's a pretty little Russian child wandering a snowy country landscape in her snug fur-lined cape and beautiful cardinal red ribbons. You'll probably notice she looks a great deal like my banner girl, "The Cardinal's Carol." What can I say, I guess it's always been beneath the surface ;)

You can find Katusha for sale HERE, and she's priced not too much more than a print...so if you're in the mood for a little after-Christmas treat...or to celebrate the New Year as they do in Russia....well, be my guest! :)

And if you want to see some truly haunting and amazing photography out of Russia, please click HERE and see these gorgeous old abandoned houses that have been intriguing me as of late.

All for now,

~H