One to Watch
The billowing clouds and delicate flowers of Ukrainian artist Serhii Komornyi are featherlight. Rendered with meticulous care, the texture of each piece recalls the immaculate carved surface of an etching. Serhii employs this deeply personal, singular technique to offer us a glimpse of fleeting, seasonal bliss.
Having trained at the Kharkiv State School of Art, Serhii has exhibited his work in Ukraine and Germany, and he has also been featured in the Saatchi Art Catalog.
Rediscover the tranquil beauty of nature with our most recent One to Watch.
Tell us about who you are and what you do. What’s your background?
I am a graphic artist and painter. I am a member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine. I work in soft pastel. I have tried and mastered many techniques, but I stopped at searching for the best, maybe because few people perceive pastel as a great technique.
What inspired you to become an artist?
There were no artists in my family, but I knew I’d be an artist from the age of 10 or 12, so it wasn’t really a choice for me. Before that, I studied music at music school. I have nothing to add to this. I still don’t know why I chose this path.
What’s your studio like, and how does your environment influence your work?
My workshop is located in a block of flats in the small town of Chuguev in Ukraine, the birthplace of Repin, 50 metres from Repin’s studio. The spirit of the Great Artist asks me every day, “Are you working?”
I am a member of the board of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine, and constant interaction with fellow artists is the lifeblood of art.
Are there specific techniques or materials that you return to?
Of all the artistic techniques, I have deliberately chosen pastels, a medium I have been developing for many years. Studying the features and secrets of the material, so that we can more fully reveal this amazing material.
Do you plan your compositions in advance or let them evolve organically?
I am a plein air painter, and so I draw inspiration from nature’s divine creations and the rhythms of nature. The world consists of energetic vortices that some people see and feel––these can be called magnetic fields.
Who are your biggest influences and why?
I consider Van Gogh, Gustav Klimt, and Alphonse Mucha to be the artists closest to my heart, who, just like me, saw the rhythms all around them.
How do you hope viewers respond to your works? What do you want them to feel?
People who buy my art, or who appreciate it, see these rhythms and feel them just as I do.
How do you see your work evolving in the next few years?
In the years to come, until the end of my life, I will devote myself to my art, and die at my easel.
If your work had a soundtrack, what would it sound like?
I always work to music. It’s Thom Yorke, Radiohead, Depeche Mode, Muse, and Queen.
Do you have a favorite piece of your own work? Why?
My favorite work is the one I have just finished, like the youngest child. The youngest son or daughter is always more beloved.
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