Olga Nikitina
Chuhuiv, Ukraine
38 Works exhibited on Kooness
Current location
Mexico
Represented by
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Works by Olga Nikitina
Painting always was a big part of my life. But new work opportunities and environments gave me new inspiration – and a new direction for my paining.
In 2008 I became a scuba diver. In 2015 I became a scuba dive instructor and moved to live in Egypt.
The Red Sea is a very unique ocean - with its corals and amazing marine life. The empty monotonous desert landscape contrasts sharply with the bright colors and rich underwater life. But it’s not a secret that the marine environment is endangered nowadays, and we, as responsible citizens, need to care for and protect our ocean.
Scuba Divers witness the changes happening in the ocean – and can be among the first to raise the awareness of others to these growing problems. Nowadays most scuba divers have underwater cameras, to record the treasures and tragedies happening underwater – in this case evidence of the destruction of marine life. Art too, is a very effective tool and medium to communicate these messages.
The main focus of my painting is underwater marine life.
Underwater I have learnt not only about the many life-forms, but the shapes and colors of everything in that realm continue to blow my mind. After diving, when at home I work hard to remember what I have just seen underwater – and what I remember is not always exactly what I wish to show - this realization led me to underwater painting – taking a slow exposure photograph right next to my subject.
I have been working as a dive instructor in Egypt fo 7 years. I absolutely fell in love with the Red Sea, with its beautiful and colorful underwater life, spectacular drop-off views and magnificent coral reefs. I love to take underwater pictures but I feel as well that it is not enough to communicate my admiration for the Red Sea. I realize I can do it only through my soul – through my painting. And the best way to feel inspiration it is to be there, to be a part of marine life, to be immersed in the underwater environment.
Painting underwater is completely different from traditional painting above the surface. When I am underwater I feel the ocean energy and unity with nature, silence around, only I can hear my breathing and sometimes fish rambling. It is easy to enter a trance state when painting underwater. Rays from the sun penetrating through the water are magical - you can see and feel that this is the point where two different worlds intersect and mix – and this is a favorite subject to reflect in my paintings.
Last few years I have been traveling and living in South Africa and Mexico. I draw inspiration from different ocean environment, beautiful nature and culture.
My art is my language. I would like to make people more human, more spiritual, to find their soul, love and kindness through the reunion with nature. So I am very happy to have opportunity to attract people by my art to the nature, in diver to find an art person and show a new reality – underwater world to art person. I believe that with my paintings more people will fall in love with the world of the sea, and become involved in the protection of our oceans for future generations to enjoy and wonder at. That is what I wish to come of these works and this experience in my life.
That is what I wish to come of these works and this experience in my life.
2006 - Graduated Interior Design from Ulyanovsk State University
2006-2014 Private practice as an Interior Designer, Decorator, includes aquarium design.
2008 – Became a scuba diver
2015 - PADI Diving Instructor
2016 - Underwater Artist
2017 – First Underwater Exhibition in Egypt
2018 – Art Exhibition on Moscow Dive show
2019 – PADI Underwater Artist Instructor ( Developed own course of underwater painting).
2019 - Opened Underwater Painting School in Egypt, based on Shams Safaga Diving Center.
2019 – Art Exhibition on DEMA show,Orlando,USA
2020 - Swiss Art expo Zurich. Artbox project.
2021 – Member of Wilderness Art Association, Wilderness, South Africa
2021 – Member of South Cape Association for the Visual Arts, South Africa
2021 - Group Exhibition in George museum , George, South Africa.
2021 – Group Exhibition in Art Festival «In the Clouds », Wilderness, South Africa
2022 – Group Exhibition in Art Festival «Pacifist»,dedicated against the War in Ukraine, Wilderness, South Africa
2018 TOURIST, Russian magazine
2019 Singulart – Magazine
2019 UNDERWASSERWELT.DEhttps: https://unterwasserwelt.de/ein-meer-aus-farben-tauchlehrerin-malt-unter-wasser/?fbclid=IwAR2ZrE2BsFj9QDSW8WIuRLoBb4CLw3H1Wh5MtuDL4-VOiadkYXwmCdr3lcQ
2019 TAUCHER.NET
2020 Tauchen Magazine
2020 ARTBOX.PUBLISH Switzerland
2021 Al-Tiba9 Contemporary Art
2021 X-Ray Magazine
2022 Al-Tiba9 Contemporary Art COLLECTORS’ ART BOOK
2020 – Runner Up Certificate in Artavia online art contest
2020 – Certificate of Excellence in online art contest Art in the time of Coronavirus and Social Distancing by the Circle Foundation.
2021 – Finalist Group Exhibition «In the Clouds », Wilderness, South Africa