Interview with Fefa Koroleva
Russian artist Fefa Koroleva touches on something mystical and magic in her painting. Her unique style is very recognizable and seems to get better with each year passing. Beautiful little stories full of symbolism, delicately illustrated with luminous colours. I asked Fefa, who is also a member of the Paard Verzameld Collective, a few questions to find out more about her wonderful and magical world of horses and art.
At what age did you become interested in art ?
‘I began to draw from early childhood. When I was 4 years old, my parents brought me to a children’s art studio and so began my training in art. I grew up with dogs, but for as long as I can remember, I dreamed of horses. And always painted them. When I was 13 years old, I began to engage in equestrian sports. Horses came into my life. Horses inspire and delight me. Through communicating with them, I get to know myself.’
How did you develop yourself as an artist?
‘I studied art at an art school, an art college, and a university. My specialization was classical painting. But art is not only a technique. This is magic. And I learn magic through horses. My first mare greatly influenced my development as an artist. She had a very hard character and at first it was hard for me to find a common language. Ducya taught me to go beyond and not to be afraid of experiments, not to be afraid of condemnation and mistakes. I built a relationship with her, and I built myself as an artist.’
What is your favorite memory involving horses?
‘For several years I painted a golden horse, which appeared to me in dreams. I believed that one day i would meet her in real life. As time went on my golden horse came into my work, but not into my life and I decided to let her go. I sketched one last big drawing, which also had my dream horse in it. And a month later, I went on a trip to a stud farm in the south of Russia, where the golden horses live. We call the Don breed — an old Russian horse breed, the golden horses. And at that stud farm, something magical happened.’
‘I let go and she came to me’
‘Don horses are always only chestnut and have a golden metallic sheen. Quite unexpectedly, I decided to buy one Don mare, which I didn't even see. But I felt I should buy this horse. I knew just her name, nothing more. And when I bought it and brought it to our stable, I realized that it was the same horse that I had been painting for many years. I let her go and she came to me! That was incredible! My dream had become a reality. And then I realized that art is magic. The main thing is to sincerely believe.’
Thank you so much Fefa for sharing your story with us. You can find out more on Fefa and her work by visiting her Facebook page or Instagram account.
Joyce Ter Horst
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Content copyright © 2019 by Joyce Ter Horst/Paard Verzameld. All rights reserved. The Paard Verzameld platform for equine art ®, Paard Verzameld Collective ®logo are registered trademarks. All rights reserved, 2019.
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