Olga Iagounina

Cats are the main characters in my art. Cats are, to me, the most mysterious of animals. I feel a personal attraction to cats because I identify myself with their character traits. A cat's nature combines independence and loyalty, aloofness and affection, precision and leisure. To capture their elusive character is a challenging and engaging task.

My objective is to create the sense of life by making cats appear very real in my work and also highlight the mystery of these animals. My work combines psychological concepts with an atmosphere of lighthearted humor and ambiguity. I want the viewer to see that cats are not merely cute, but are also complex creatures with unique characters.

In order to capture the inherent qualities of cats, I represent them in active movement, running and walking. I also depict them in groups to create a more dynamic composition. Their placing, for instance their running or walking in the same direction and a repetition of the same cat, creates an intriguing image. An unusual presentation of a common subject creates an ambience of strangeness and charm. I also want cats to interact with the viewer, evoking a broad range of senses from calm to intimidation.

My works are products of many experiments and of exploration for better ways to depict cats. In my latest works, I use reduced color to draw the viewer's attention to the cats and their natural color, while my older oil paintings are quite colorful. Now I use the mediums of acrylic, ink and charcoal. Wet media such as acrylic and ink help me build the background and create dramatic value and broad range of tones that add a sense of allure to my work. This also helps me create a contrast between the foreground and the remote areas of the work and therefore enhance the illusion of space. Using charcoal and chalk, I create marks which help me represent cats, especially a cat's texture, in the most convincing way.

I found it very interesting to work with images of cats. The nature of these animals is very complicated. They can be an excellent source for inspiration and spark a desire for further creative research.

Sincerely,
Olga Iagounina