As a classically trained painter, my practice is rooted in observation and tradition, drawing from both direct study of nature and references such as photography, archival materials, and the old masters. I primarily work with oil painting and drawing, using charcoal, pencil, and graphite to explore the tension between space and surface. My approach emphasizes close tonal and chromatic ranges, where subtle nuances become the primary interest. In my work, I strive to create a condensed pictorial space, existing in a delicate balance between two and three dimensions.
My work explores the intersection of personal memory, distance, the mythical, and the expressive possibilities of the painted surface. By repeatedly returning to familiar motifs, I build an intimate, prolonged relationship with my source materials, thus inviting the viewer into my own world. Yet, the distance inherent in observation, and the act of translating images through drawing and painting, shifts the particular into the mythical and timeless. This tension between intimacy and distance opens a space where viewers can connect to the work on their own terms, navigating freely between personal memory, cultural narratives, and imagined landscapes.
Born 1985 in Ukraine, Lives in Toronto
Education
2016-2023- B.A in philosophy and the arts, Open university Israel
2012- the JSS masterclass program for landscape painting in Civita Castelana, Italy
2010- the JSS masterclass program for landscape painting in Certosa di Pontengano, Italy
2008-2013- the Jerusalem Studio School masterclass program with Israel Hershberg
2005-2006- Rakefet Levy school of design for the performing arts
Scholarships and prizes
2018- the Avigdor Arikha memorial scholarship for an Israeli artist
Solo exhibitions
2016- ‘Mythologies’ works on paper, curator Timna Perez, Space 2000, Jerusalem, Israel
2015- ‘Inside out’, curator Amir Bruchim, A La Rampa, Tel Aviv, Israel
Select group exhibitions
2023- ’Defined time’, curator Carmel Ben Or, Mazeh 9 municipal community center, Tel Aviv, Israel
2022- ‘The Still Life Painting’, curator Karen Smith, 155A Gallery, London UK
2021- ‘Contemporary Landscapes’, curator Karen Smith, 155A Gallery, London UK
2021- ‘Atmospheres’ curator Laura Vahalberg, Alexander/Heath Gallery, Roanoke, USA
2019- ‘Althea’ curator Inbal Marry Cohen, ND Gallery, Ramat Gan, Israel
2019- ‘Low Power Disaster’ curated by Layla Bari, Beit Ariela municipal Library, Tel Aviv, Israel
2019- RHA annual exhibition, Ireland, Dublin
2018- Group Summer Exhibition, Rothschild Fine Art, Tel Aviv, Israel
Interview from Laura Vahlbergs blog
https://www.lauravahlberg.com/blog/2021/2/12/interview-with-lena-chermoshniuk
