Artist Info / Bio
Viktor Shvaiko
Born in Altai, one of Russia 's most remote
and off-the-beaten-track towns, Viktor Shvaiko grew up surrounded by the beauty
of the wilderness. His natural inclination for fine arts and his strong urge to
share his vision of nature drove him to find a way into the Novoaltaisk Artistic
School , one of the two best schools for the arts in the former Soviet Union.
Four years of strenuous studies enabled Viktor, a very diligent student, to
acquire the skills of a true artist.
Viktor credits his teacher, Ilbek Khairoullinov, for a true fine arts education.
A strict regimen of drawing, an intricate technique of using colors, and the
influence of the 19th century Russian artist Karl Brynllow brought Viktor
Shvaiko close to a traditional academic style of painting. After having attained
technical excellence in the manner of these traditional influences, the artist
now possessed the tools with which to express his feelings to the world. At this
point, Viktor's main focus became the beautiful Altai landscapes.
The Shvaiko family then moved to Transkarpathia, the western mountainous portion
of Ukraine . There Viktor became enchanted with the picturesque and
breathtakingly beautiful countryside. He continued to paint and was invited to
show in two one-person expositions in Moukachevo in 1990 and a group exhibition
in Hungary in 1991.
Shvaiko chafed under the stifling effect that the lingering Russian bureaucracy
had on the careers of young artists. Unable to get a visa to a Western country,
Viktor was permitted to travel to Yugoslavia . In the confusion of the civil
war, he fled to Italy with his paintings strapped to his back, often
encountering gunfire from roving bands of militia.
Having arrived in Italy virtually penniless, Viktor survived by selling his
paintings on the streets of Rome . He managed to build a following for himself,
and save some money. He eventually returned to a now more liberalized Russia,
and was able to obtain passage to America.
Arriving in New York with little money and less English, Viktor was again able
to survive by selling his work. It was here he developed his penchant for
painting the little cafes and other intimate places that we see in his work
today, and that have become his trademark. His enticing mix of beauty and
mystery has drawn the interest and admiration of collectors from around the
world.
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