Serge Zhukov, “Drawing Lesson 3.,” 36 X 24 inches, Oil On Canvas
F.A.N. Gallery will show the work of Serge Zhokov this month. Serge is a wonderful painter and a master at creating mood through is landscapes and figures.
Victoria Donohoe of The Inquirer said, “his figure drawings give us an easy sense of his subjects’ reality, but it’s the delicate mix of senses and substance that imbues the oils with an air of uncontrived refinement, while their milky hues set the spirit that appeals to the sophisticated eye.”
Serge Zhukov, “Harmony In Red,” 12 X 24 inches, Oil On Canvas
I was able to ask Serge a few questions about his influences and how he works.
Who are your influences? Favorite artists or books or music.
My influences, naturally, are constantly changing throughout my life. At one point in time, I skipped through pages in Art History books, which were devoted to Giotto and De Chirico. Now they are my favorite artists. I am certainly influenced by Piero della Francesca, Giorgione. I can examine works like “Legend of the True Cross” or “Pastoral Concert” for hours. I like Balthus, mostly his late works. In literature, it’s Stanislaw Lem, Hesse, Sasha Sokolov, Osip Mandelstam.
Serge Zhukov “Still Life With Glass Pitcher,” 12 X 24 inches, Oil On Canvas
How much planning and preparation go into your paintings, do you do a lot of drawing first and then move onto the painting?
It’s difficult to say. If, I have a clear idea about my next project, then painting goes smoothly. However, I have to envision the entire image in my mind first, prior to drawing. I do a lot of drawings. Often my vision is altered when I actually start painting. It happened with “Drawing Lesson 1” where my original idea changed after creating several drawings.
Serge Zhukov, sketch of “Drawing lesson” 11×14 ink on paper.
What is your first creative memory?
I mixed toothpaste with watercolor paints and colored a window glass. I was 5 years old.
Serge Zhukov, “Evening Shadow,” 48 X 36 inches, Oil On Canvas
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