Monday, January 19, 2015

Dina Shubin And Her Paintings

By Kristen Baird


It takes some kind of unique quality to draw collectors to the work of a particular artist. Dina Shubin has this unique appeal. Her paintings consist of a blend of realism and abstraction that lift them beyond the ordinary. Her women convey tranquility and serenity but at the same time they are goddess-like and powerful.

This artist studied art in Moscow where she was born and emigrated to Canada nine years after graduating from the Moscow Teachers Training Institute. She is married to Peter Panov who is also a well-known artist. Dina has participated in the past in art expos in large cities like Tokyo, Seoul and New York. Today her paintings can be purchased online from a number of galleries who feature her works.

One cannot help thinking of ancient icons when looking at her paintings and the poses of these women help to convey this impression. The fact that Dina studied art is reflected in her work as she adopts some techniques used by famous artists like Giotto, Modigliani and Klimt. However, she uses these in a distinctive way that is all her own. Her women have elongated figures and faces and although they are posed against abstract backgrounds, their flesh is painted very realistically.

With the contrast between the abstract and realism, the imagination of the viewer is stretched. The flesh is painted in a very realistic way and yet the elongation of the figures and faces and abstraction of the background gives the paintings a mythical, fairy tale quality. Serenity and power, the real and the abstract manage to co-exist together effortlessly in unusual combinations and juxtapositions.

Her paintings have a romantic quality to them too and the women are often portrayed together with elements related to the senses. Flowers find a way into many of her works. This may be in the form of a beautifully painted vase of tulips or a few white lilies. Her women also play different musical instruments such as cellos, guitars, harps and flutes.

The poses are mostly static such as a woman seated on a window seat with her legs drawn up underneath her and her arms resting on her knees. Sometimes the arms of a woman may even be folded. However, instead of seeming flat and emotionless, the poses manage to convey serenity and power at the same time.

The artist favors deep rich colors like reds and rusts for her abstract backgrounds. Against these tones, the quality of the flesh is tender and soft. The flowers like the lilies and tulips as well as the musical instruments like cellos, harps and flutes are painted realistically and this realism is also enhanced by the way they appear against the rich, dark abstract background colors.

Many art lovers collect the paintings of this artist and they are excited when new paintings appear. Today one can purchase such paintings from a number of online galleries. Such a painting is a worthwhile investment for any collector.




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