Olga Abramova - graphic artist. Dry pastels, acrylic on wood.

About me

Olga Abramova is best known for her soft, airy, almost meditative paintings, created with pastel and charcoal.

Olga lives and works in Moscow. She is a co-founder and the President of National Pastel Society of Russia from 2018 to 2023.

In 1996 she graduated from The Moscow Academy of Design and Applied Arts named after M.I. Kalinin, specialty – Textile Design (Honors Diploma). In 2000 she got her Master’s Degree in Teaching of Art at Moscow State Open Pedagogical University, defending a graduation thesis in pastel technique.

Olga has a Master Circle status with International Association of Pastel Societies. She is a member of International Art Foundation, pastel societies of France, Turkey, the USA (PSA) and Italy.

The artist’s paintings have won multiple awards and are kept in private collections in Russia, the USA, Taiwan, some European countries, as well as in Chinese museum and Russian museum’s collections.

The Publishing House BOMBORA released Olga’s book “Pastel” in 2020. Articles about the artist and interviews with her have been featured in Pastel Journal, Pratique des Arts , Arts Council, Artistic advice and other publications.

“I have been exploring the possibilities of pastel and its mix with other media for the last 25 years. In my paintings, charcoal, gouache or acrylic may be present, interacting with the top layer of pastel and complementing it with their qualities. I think it is important for any artist to find their own unique combination of ideas and material, which will sound vividly, reflecting their view of life.”

Latest exhibitions

2023

“22nd International Pastel Festival in Feytiat”. Pastelistes de France. Feytiat, France
“International Pastel Exhibition in Berric”. Art du Pastel en France. Berric, Morbihan, France. First Prize
“Pastel Exhibition in Occitanie”. Trebes, Occitanie, France
“CHALK” – Travelling Pastel Exhibition of NPS. Plyossky State Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve, Levitanovsky Cultural Center, Plyos, Russia. Exhibition Hall of the Ryazan State Regional Art Museum named after Pozhalostin, Ryazan, Russia. Center for Contemporary Art, Novgorod, Russia. Curator
“Grand Palais Ephémère”. Paris. France
“Margoski”. National Art Gallery, Yoshkar-Ola, Russia
“Moscow pastel”. Exhibition Hall of the Moscow Union of Artists. Kuznetsky most, Moscow, Russia

2022

14th Biennial Convention. “10th International Exhibition of IAPS Master Circle”. Albuquerque, NM, USA
“Crossings”- 9th Pastel Exhibition of NPS. Gallery “Exposed”, Moscow, Russia
“5th International Pastel Biennale”. Art Gallery Ming, Suzhou, China. China Pastel Network Award
“Margosky”. Ryazan State Regional Art Museum named after I. P. Pozhalostin. Ryazan, Russia
“Artlife Fest”- 5th International Interactive Festival of Contemporary Art. Exhibition Hall “Manezh”, Moscow, Russia
“International Pastel Exhibition in Brittany”. Fougères. Brittany. France. Guest of Honor
“International Pastel Exhibition in Valasse 2022”. Art du Pastel en France. Abbaye du Valasse, Normandy, France
“International Pastel Festival in Feytiat”. Pastelistes de France. Ville de Feytiat, France
“Moscow pastel”. Exhibition Hall of the Moscow Union of Artists. Kuznetsky most, Moscow, Russia

2021

5th Pastel Exhibition NPS “Crossing 2021”, gallery “EXPOSED”, Moscow, Russia
“Mosgraph” Gallery “Promgraphica” of the Moscow Union of Artists
International Pastel Exhibition – 7th Master Circle Division. IAPS 2021 Web show
Art of Pastel” NPS&RedRock, Penza Regional Art Gallery named after Savitsky. Penza, Russia
5th Pastel Exhibition NPS “Crossing 2021”, gallery “EXPOSED”, Moscow, Russia
Exhibition Olga&Vicente – rendezvous in Taiwan”. Kaohsiung Cultural Center, Taiwan
The 2nd Russia-wide art exhibition “Pastel of Russia” is a joint cultural and artistic project of the State Regional Art Museum “Liberov Center” and Omsk division of The Russian Association of Artists.
Giverny 2021. International pastel exposition. Art du pastel en France
49th PSA Annual Exhibition Enduring Brilliance. Online Pastel Society of America. Headquartered at the National Arts Club, NYC – Richard McKinley Mentorship Award
6th Master Circle Division of the IAPS Gallery Exhibition. Zhou B, Art Center in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Coming soon
“Moscow Pastel”. Exhibition Hall of the MUA, Starosadsky 5/8, Moscow, Russia.
Pastel Exhibition. Italian Pastel Society PASIT. Online. Golden Award in the category ‘landscape-still life’.
Pastel Exhibition. Arizona Pastel Artist Association. Online. First Place Award.
Pastel Exhibition. Pastel Artists of New Zealand PANS. Online. First Place Award.

2020

37th Juried Pastel Exhibition IAPS. USA. Online. Golden Award.
“De Profundis”. Joint Exhibition of NPS and MUA. Exhibition Hall of MUA, Starosadsky 5/8, Moscow, Russia.
36th IAPS Juried Pastel Exhibition. Dunedin, Florida, USA.
5th Pastel Exhibition of NPS. Gallery “Exposed”, Moscow, Russia.
International Exhibition of Pastels. Pastel Art Promotion Association of Taiwan PAPAT, Taipei, Taiwan.
Winter Dakota Pastels Competition. USA. Online. Honorable Mention.

2019

34th Juried Pastel Exhibition IAPS. Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. Golden Award.
2nd Exhibition of NPS “Between Line and Color”. Gallery “Exposed”, Moscow, Russia.
Salon International du Pastel. Yerres, France.The 100th Аnniversаry of China Pastel. China. The painting is in museum collection.
ARTLIFE FEST. Art Exhibition at the Festival. Moscow, Russia.
Salon du Pastel en Bretagne. Fougeres, Bretagne, France. Award “Le Geant des beaux arts”.
19th Festival International du Pastel de Feytiat. France. Award “Le Coup de Coeur 2019 de la ville de Feytiat”.

All events

Публикации

Book “Пастель. Полное руководство для художников“. Publishing house “EKSMO”, 2020
Pastel Journal, “A Russian Renaissance”, 2020
Pratique des Arts magazine. Pastel “Recréer la réalité”, 2019
Pratique des Arts magazine. Pastel “La poésie du pissenlit”, 2017
IN/EX. Новый взгляд на дом и сад, «Воздушный синий» 04/2016
Аль-Асыль, художественный журнал Сирии, Интервью №2007-39
Художественный совет. “Нарисуйте запах” №3/19, 2002

ONE-ON-ONE WITH OLGA

french magazine Pratique des Arts

In just a few words, how would you describe the life of an artist?

I really like two simple words: love and work. Tove Jansson said it this way. One works very poorly without love.

What advice have you found useful in your life?

Also two: “Don’t stop dancing” and “It’s a waste of time for an artist to argue about art, do what you like and don’t listen to anyone else.”

Why are artists considered special?

Artists create their own rules in life, and from society’s point of view, what they do can seem irrational and pointless. They create new models of living and share this with others, who are not yet ready to understand what it is they are being offered.

What do artists have to fight for?

Time! Artists always have to use every minute! You could be involved in choosing new materials, preparing your studio, listening to music or be at lunch, but the whole time your thoughts are involved in the creative process – the most vital process. People around you don’t sense this searching for new ideas and think the artist isn’t doing anything. Artists are constantly busy!

Why do people read biographies?

I’ll answer with a quote. “Compared to the grand sweep and romance of Jack London’s life, my existence seemed like a squirrel with its head against a walnut, dozing until spring. For the time being, that is. But that’s how biographies are. I mean, who’s going to read about the peaceful life and times of a nobody employed at the Kawasaki Municipal Library? In other words, what we seek is some kind of compensation for what we put up with.” Haruki Murakami – Dance, dance, dance You can add to this the element of curiosity and a desire to learn something from others’ experience.

Who would you yourself like to read about?

I would love to read Tilda Swinton’s memoir, if it ever comes out. Reading biographies and memoirs of writers and artists, I’ve noticed an overriding principle – all the people who actually achieve something in life work very hard. With remarkable consistency, and often with passion. They love and they work.)

Two more questions. How many words are needed to describe what’s most important?

Sometimes, I suppose, words aren’t needed at all.

And how many brush strokes are needed to do the same?

Much more, which is why I’m a painter, and not a writer.