Interview

Written By Adelé Kotzé

Galina V. Volkova

Galina is an artist whose work involves concepts of hope, harmony and humanity based on Spirituality as a Foundation of Art. Art, in all its manifestations, should serve the self-knowledge of man purpose, she believes and implements as a credo in her artwork. Oil is her primarily medium, although she is experimenting with mixed media as well including watercolor, ink, pastels and tempera. She was born to a family that appreciated Visual Arts, inherited drawing skills from her father, and grew up at the Museum of Fine Art in her hometown. She was studying Art from various artists of her choice suitable for a certain idea she was pursuing or project focusing on in her native country and abroad. Her formal education included public and private Art courses and classes in the San Francisco Bay Area during her employment for the University of California at Berkeley.

She joined the Pleasanton Art League (PAL) in 2015 and currently held memberships within the Alliance for the Visual Arts (AVA), Tri-Valley Art Studio Tour (TVAST), California Watercolor Association (CWA), and Tehama County Art Council (TCAC). In 2022-2023, she completed the Artist-in-Residence Online Program at the Belgrade art Studio, Belgrade, Serbia. She was also affiliated with the Fremont Art Association, Livermore Art Association, and Alamo Danville Artists Society. Currently, she is working on augmentation of her collection in floral painting, portraits, seascapes and choreographic silhouettes using various techniques and approaches. She wishes her schedule could accommodate more artwork on commission basis, but between teaching Art, Mathematics and Computer Science courses and Data Analytics consulting, and besides painting and current status as the exhibiting artist, it’s still extremely tight. Her paintings can be found at the G7 Art Studio in Northern California, and in private collections nationwide (CA, OR, PA, NJ, FL, UT and TX) and in Western Europe (Germany and Italy).

 

What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?

“Intellectual beauty of abstract Mathematics, spiritual aspect of Dostoevsky's definition "beauty will save the world!" and visual art reflecting on Divine design for this world have a common ground. Common for all three categories is the opportunity to achieve a state of harmony. My life is harmonious. I am a Mathematician (fundamental education in Applied Mathematics and Doctorate studies in Foundations of Mathematics, Kharkov University and Martin Luther University, Halle/Saale, Wittenberg, Germany; career in Data Analytics, University of California at Berkeley, Walter A. Haas School of Business and private sector in the Silicon Valley, California, Mathematics teaching at California State University and junior colleges in the San Francisco Bay Area), and an Artist (artistic abilities inherited from my dad, parents who studied and professionally practiced design, childhood at the Museum of Fine Arts at my hometown, painting all my life, studying techniques from contemporary artists, formal Art education in the Bay Area, California, USA) who believes in spiritual basis of art.

As Andrei A. Tarkovsky, (1934-1986), one of the most influential movie directors of the 20th century stated: “The task of art is to express the idea of absolute freedom of the spiritual possibilities of man. In my opinion, art has always been a weapon in the struggle of man against matter, threatening to swallow his spirit. Art is a prayer – that says it all.” As a Mathematician, I am often emphasizing to my students that science is an art referring to intuitive aspects of the axiomatic basis of Foundations of Mathematics. As an artist, I keep in mind Alexander Pushkin's measure "to verify harmony by algebra" that assists me in planning and implementing my painting projects. It's mutually benefiting, although it might look contradictory. Yin and yang. Left and right hemispheres of the brain.”

What inspires you?

“Truth and authenticity. In everything touched by the Divine design. In nature. In order of events. In human relations. In blessing from the Above. In simple things. In miracles that occur.”

What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?

“I always wanted to become a movie director in the most inspiring genre of Poetic Movie Art. If it were not the chance to be born and live through the times of tectonic changes in the state structure and history, war and peace, martyrdom and confessorship, then the desired plan would be completely successful. Thus, each piece of my art is just a frame plan and/or sketches of the future imaginary film. What would my movie be about? About one of the greatest civilizations in this world systematically eradicated from the planet Earth and dedicated to all people who lived through intensifying dramatic times. Whatever theme I am pursuing, my envision comes from the perspective of that civilization.

For instance, painting floral composition always contains association with St. John of Kronshtad’s evaluation: “Flowers are remnants of Heaven on Earth”. Aesthetically, it’s a perfect definition and takes us back to Eden in search of inspiration. Longing for the Eden is echoed by the Silver Age Poetry in the same civilization: “For all this hell/for all this nonsense/grant me an Eden/for my old age.” - Marina I. Tsvetaeva, 1915. That’s what an artist should keep in mind while depicting a flower - its simplicity and perfection in shape and color reflects Divine design and therefore provides an individual with hope throughout life.”

How would you describe your work?

“Determining genres and styles of art is not a function of the artist. There are specialists for these purposes who cannot paint. Artist is only responsible for expanding his/her abilities. Therefore, each time I am approaching canvas, I am exercising freedom of choice in terms of media, themes and ways to implement artistic ideas. In one of the interviews, Dmitry A. Hvorostovsky, (1962-2017), one of the greatest baritones, explained to the audience what his singing meant to him: ‘it’s not about you and me, it’s rather about me and music.’ With all due respect and admiration, I disagree with such a definition of the creative act. It should always be about the gift Provider and the gift receiver. In other words, it’s all about gift stewardship: the gift for creativity comes with the responsibility to work on expansion of obtained gift.”

Which artists influence you most?

“Among Classical Art: Italian Early Renaissance, French Impressionism and Russian Association of Traveling Art Exhibitions (Peredvizhniki-Передвижники) - Russian School of Psychological Realism. Among Symbolism: Konstantin Alekseevich Vassiliev (1942-1976), author of 400 paintings, each one of each is memorable and influential. In his work there are answers to all the questions that I may have. Among contemporary artists: I truly admire watercolor techniques of American artist Stan Miller, Oregon, USA and Russian artist Yelena Bazanova, St.-Petersburg, Russian Federation, oil on canvas landscape and floral techniques of Oleg Buiko, born in Belarus and residing in Moscow artist, manufacturer and researcher; online motivational and instructing abilities of Igor Sakharov, artist and former iconographer, Moscow, Russian Federation, and portrait techniques of Artist Will Yu from Taiwan.”

“Therefore, each time I am approaching canvas, I am exercising freedom of choice in terms of media, themes and ways to implement artistic ideas.”

What is your creative process like?

“Alla prima paintings are similar to piano sketches: in one sitting or approach to the canvas with a possible subsequent glazing. Alla prima painting is equivalent to the ballet barre exercise. More complicated projects require detailed planning stages, sketches, layer-by-layer analysis, etc. Still, it’s all based on inspirational and emotional underlying.”

What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?

“To evoke a sense of hope. Tarkovsky has criteria for work to become an art: it must contain a hope. Under what conditions does the image of asphalt or a tunnel become art? Only when a sprout pierces through the rocks and asphalt and light shakes at the end of the tunnel. Hope is an emergency exit toward catharsis. Depicting misery or atrocity could be therapeutic for artists, but it will resonate with other souls only on a frequency of hope. Without hope catharsis is unreachable. Not a chance. It’s virtually impossible to formulate better than Tarkovsky did: “What is art? Like a declaration of love: the consciousness of our dependence on each other. A confession. An unconscious act that none the less reflects the true meaning of life - love and sacrifice.””

Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?

“My group exhibitions are as follow: Online International Group Exhibitions, HMVC Gallery, New York, USA - since February 2024; Tehama Arts Gallery, Red Bluff, California, USA - since 2023; Love-2023, Online International Art Exhibition, Vancouver, BC, Canada - February 2023; Belgrade Art Studio, Online Artist Residence, Belgrade, Serbia - 2022-2023; California Watercolor Association, Exhibitions in San Ramón/Dublin, California, USA - 2022. My solo exhibitions include: Online Solo Exhibition, HMVC Gallery, NYC, USA - 2024; 21th ArtWalk, Tehama Arts Gallery, Red Bluff, California - 2023; 20th ArtWalk, Downton Red Bluff, California, USA - 2022; Museum-on-Main, and Harrington Gallery, Pleasanton, California - since 2015. My paintings are selected for the Parallax Los Angeles International Exhibition, MG Studio, Los Angeles, California, USA - 2024.”

 
Adelé Kotzé
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