The vast, enticing Canadian landscape and, more generally, nature’s dazzling colors serve as painter Vera Kisseleva’s primary inspirations. A native of Russia now based in rural Ontario, Vera has always been drawn to “the great outdoors” and she has her fill, living amongst endless corn and wheat fields, along with parks and lakes, where she and her family spend much time hiking, cycling, and kayaking—all of which constantly fuel her artistic inspiration. Indeed, it’s no exaggeration to say that she “lives her art.”

Vera studied fine arts and applied arts in college and worked for years as a graphic designer and commercial artist. Moving to Canada, though, and rediscovering nature’s vibrancy on such an immense scale drew her to painting, which she immediately saw as the ideal means for conveying the visual splendor of her new home.

She often does pencil and watercolor sketches outdoors—en plein air; and then uses these sketches and/or reference photos to make her finished pieces on canvas with acrylic or oil paint.

The vast, enticing Canadian landscape and, more generally, nature’s dazzling colors serve as painter Vera Kisseleva’s primary inspirations. A native of Russia now based in rural Ontario, Vera has always been drawn to “the great outdoors” and she has her fill, living amongst endless corn and wheat fields, along with parks and lakes, where she and her family spend much time hiking, cycling, and kayaking—all of which constantly fuel her artistic inspiration. Indeed, it’s no exaggeration to say that she “lives her art.”

Vera studied fine arts and applied arts in college and worked for years as a graphic designer and commercial artist. Moving to Canada, though, and rediscovering nature’s vibrancy on such an immense scale drew her to painting, which she immediately saw as the ideal means for conveying the visual splendor of her new home.

She often does pencil and watercolor sketches outdoors—en plein air; and then uses these sketches and/or reference photos to make her finished pieces on canvas with acrylic or oil paint.

Painting is the language I use to express my appreciation for the beauty of the Nature. In my paintings, I try to express something that catches my eye at a specific point in time. There are dramatic moments happening constantly in nature, which are infinitely varied not only visually, but also emotionally. It’s this personal impact—between what I see and how I feel—that’s really at the core of my work.

Sunlight shining through trees, sunbeams playing on grass or snow, nature’s dazzling colors serve as my primary inspirations.
Bold colors, thick brush strokes, and the quick pace at which I work are the means through which I able to capture and express some of the many sublime moments I experience.

I enjoy every moment of making my art from being outside sketching to a last finished brushstroke on my canvas. Nature changes by the second, and painting can reveal such changes and sensitize viewers to the inherent wonder of the natural world’s constant flux; yet it also preserves the memory of the emotions associated with these changes—which, in our mind, is usually, interchangeable with nature itself.

Painting is the language I use to express my appreciation for the beauty of the Nature. In my paintings, I try to express something that catches my eye at a specific point in time. There are dramatic moments happening constantly in nature, which are infinitely varied not only visually, but also emotionally. It’s this personal impact—between what I see and how I feel—that’s really at the core of my work.

Sunlight shining through trees, sunbeams playing on grass or snow, nature’s dazzling colors serve as my primary inspirations.
Bold colors, thick brush strokes, and the quick pace at which I work are the means through which I able to capture and express some of the many sublime moments I experience.

I enjoy every moment of making my art from being outside sketching to a last finished brushstroke on my canvas. Nature changes by the second, and painting can reveal such changes and sensitize viewers to the inherent wonder of the natural world’s constant flux; yet it also preserves the memory of the emotions associated with these changes—which, in our mind, is usually, interchangeable with nature itself.