The Artist and the Ballerinas

I met Katya Gridneva quite by accident, and we got chatting. She invited me to take a look around her studio.  She works with oils, pastels and charcoal creating beautiful figurative images, especially ballerinas.

As a child Katya trained as a gymnast at one of Russia's top schools, until she fell from a bar and sustained an injury that brought her career to an abrupt end. She then studied at the world renowned Academy of Fine Arts in St Petersburg, and many of her dance models are from the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg, where she has privileged backstage access to study the dancers.


Katya's new exhibition will be at the John Noott Gallery 13 October 2012 to 28 October 2012

Pushkin House

Pushkin's House the centre for Russian Culture in London. A town house with a grand entrance.

My posts may be a little erratic over the next week as I am travelling and finding internet connection a bit of a problem.

Russian Orthodox Church

Not far from the Gunnersbury tube on the District line I stumbled upon the Russian Orthodox Church.
Building began in 1997, with the first service held in 1999. An interesting history can be found here..