Alexei Petruhin

Alexei Petruhin, the leading marine painter of Crimea, was born in 1964, in Nikolaev, Russia. From early childhood, he watched ships coming in and out the bay, light reflecting on the surface of the water, seagulls soaring in the sky. Later, while living in Odessa, he fell in love with the sea, the spirit of the ancient city, its winding streets, and sunny beaches, the air filled with the aroma of adventures, history, and unmistakable southern character. Alexei went sailing often; he continuously tried to express his emotional exaltation on canvas. He painted for literally days and nights. It is not a coincidence that his paintings are filled with light. Only an artist living near the sea could only develop such a beaming palette: an artist who grew up by the sea, by its waves and reflections; an artist who is spiritually connected to the sea. That is why seascapes are his favorite subject – warm or cold, light or dark – they are always majestic.

Love to painting brought Alexei to Kharkov Academy of Art and Design. Upon graduation, Alexei decided to devote himself to plein air painting – the most difficult and the most authentic. Plein air is often associated with very uncomfortable conditions, but as a reward, the artist receives the most intimate connection with nature, working in the environment, which is impossible to describe or replicate in the studio. Alexei is the follower of the Russian Realism School of landscape painting. His works are sincere, raw, void of any photographic dryness, rich in color and remarkable in the precision of the moment. Truly, the nature itself is Alexei’s workshop; he travels extensively, exploring every opportunity that his “workshop” gives him. That is why his works are different from one another – nature is always changing.

Alexei is a regular competitor in the most prestigious national and international exhibitions. He holds the title of the member of the Artist’s Union of Ukraine.

…Such a radiant palette can only belong to an artist who grew up by the water….

Alexei Petruhin prefers to write his life-affirming canvases in the open air, directly studying nature in natural light, capturing the visible world in its inherent constant variability, recreating the unity of man and his environment.

What is happiness ?! After a significant part of his life (this year Aleksey Mikhailovich will celebrate his 50th anniversary), the Sevastopol artist Petruhin offers his own answer to this rhetorical question and generously shares his happiness with the audience. Here it is in front of us – on his canvases.

Having deliberately chosen the bold and non-trivial name of the exhibition, in the conversation the artist could not immediately express in words a personal understanding of happiness. It took several minutes of reflection and a laconic interpretation sounded: “fullness of life and harmony.” Harmonious relationships with oneself, loved ones and with nature. Life is like a full bowl! Saturated with events, travels, discoveries of picturesque corners of Crimea, filled with love, care of family people, enthusiastic work – painting in the open air and the need to observe, learn and capture the changing nature of nature, especially the sea.

Alexey Mikhailovich Petruhin

Painter

Born November 2, 1964 in Nikolaev

1982-1984, 1986-1987 – studied at the art studio at the DOP in Nikolaev

1993 – graduated from Kharkov Art and Industry Institute; specialization – art design

Since 1996 – participant of exhibitions

Since 2001 – lives and works in Sevastopol

Since 2012 – member of the SSS NSHU, since 2014 – member of the Union of Artists of Russia (SRO VTOO “SHR”)

Since 2013 – an active member of the Russian Association of Marine Artists

The artist’s works are in private collections in Russia, Ukraine, the USA, France, Brazil, Spain, Mexico, and Holland.

Alexey Petruhin was born in 1964, in Nikolaev. Graduated from Kharkov Art Academy. From the moment of graduation to this day, he has been exclusively engaged in PLENER. Active participant in exhibitions in Ukraine and in Russia.

“He grew up in Nikolaev by the water. From the windows of his parents’ apartment – a view of the Southern Bug, ships overlooking the sea. As a child, living in Odessa, fell in love with the old streets of the southern city, with sunny beaches, and, of course, with the vast expanses of the sea.

In his youth, he went sailing on a yacht. He left enthusiastic impressions on paper – he painted endlessly …. It is no coincidence that his works are filled with light – such a radiant palette can only belong to an artist who grew up near the water, living next to it – with waves, glare and reflections, and therefore so delicately feeling it.

His love of drawing led him to the Kharkov art industry (now the Academy of Design and Arts), after which he finally decided to devote himself to full-scale painting – plein air. He travels a lot and does not paint copies. Every painting is unique.