If the imagination is shackled, and nothing is described but what we see, seldom will anything truly great be produced either in Painting or Poetry . . . A departure from nature is not a necessary consequence in the painting of compositions: On the contrary, the most lovely and perfect parts of nature may be brought together, and combined in a whole, that shall surpass in beauty and effect any picture painted from a single view. ~ Thomas Cole

    The realistically rendered landscapes I create are the expression of our more pliable, understandable human emotions. Sometimes they are peaceful images of the earth beneath the snow, while others depict a more turbulent or vibrant phase in nature, noticed and remembered at a single, isolated moment. 

     Landscapes possess a rehabilitative capacity, as neither their loneliness nor pretense can hurt and destroy one’s vitality for living. These are images, imitations, and facsimiles of what is real, without the potency or urgency presented by human interactions. They become my single means of feeling a unity with the world around me, of restoring contact between my art and the everyday world. These works eliminate the sense of hopelessness, bringing me, and hopefully the viewer, into a tangible world of emotions felt and comprehended.

These landscapes are the result of a desire to give an artistic expression to the complexity of the feelings that penetrate our very being. Through these realistic settings, I attempt to depict the forces within us and, thus, delineate the essential from the overwhelming reality of incomprehensible appearances. Learn more about artist Dimitrina Kutriansky at www.dimitrinakutriansky.com 

Winter’s Lull Dimitrina Stamboldjiev Kutriansky Oil on Canvas. 16”x20”. $600 Artist Comments: “Winter’s Lull” depicts a frozen landscape in the heart of winter, inspired by a scene from my travels through the countryside of Pennsylvania. This painting creates a sense of place that is characterized by loneliness and isolation, where the birds hold their vigil watch over the dormant field, while the bales of hay are indicative of the temporarily absent human element and the future promise of growth and renewal.

Autumn’s Glory Dimitrina Stamboldjiev Kutriansky Oil on Canvas Panel. 18”x24”. $700   Artist Comments: “Autumn’s Glory” was inspired by a day of plein air painting in Augusta, Missouri. The warmth of the autumn day can be felt in the painting’s vivid orange leaves, which are contrasted against the full clouds and dry earth, suggesting nature’s preparation for the coming winter. The combination of oil washes and fine lines in sepia establishes the painting’s rhythm and defines the composition.

Violet Haze Dimitrina Stamboldjiev Kutriansky Oil on Linen Panel. 9”x12”. $400   Artist Comments:“Violet Haze” is an example of the surprising and endless sources of inspiration that abound in nature. Inspired by my observations as I was travelling through Central Illinois, the painting depicts the astonishing capacity of the natural world to transcend the ordinary.