SERGEY KORABELNIKOV
I am a classically trained realist painter working across oil, watercolor, pastel, and drawing. My practice is centered on portraiture and landscape, with a focus on capturing the emotional depth of a subject and the fleeting, ever-changing nature of light.
I was born and raised in Evpatoria, Crimea, in a family of musicians. From early childhood, I felt a strong inclination toward drawing. Encouraged by my grandmother, I began studying at an art school, where I developed a foundation in watercolor and academic drawing. I later continued my education at the Simferopol Art College, one of the most respected institutions in the region, specializing in painting.
In 2014, I moved to Kyiv to study at the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture, where I focused on easel painting under the guidance of professors such as Ivan Kovtonyuk, Valentina Vyrodova-Gautier, Vasyl Gurin, Alexander Belyansky, and Anatolii Tverdoy. My academic training is deeply rooted in the traditions of 19th-century realism, and I draw inspiration from artists such as Levitan, Polenov, Pokhitonov, Bouguereau, Kramskoi, and Repin.
My approach to painting is grounded in direct observation. I work extensively from life, whether painting portraits or working en plein air to capture subtle changes in atmosphere and light. My landscapes often begin outdoors, where I try to grasp a specific, unrepeatable moment in nature. Larger works are later developed in the studio, where I refine structure, color, and detail while preserving the authenticity of the initial impression.
In portraiture, I am drawn to expressive and memorable faces. My process feels like a search almost a pursuit of a gaze that reveals something deeper about a person’s inner world. For me, each face carries a unique presence, and my goal is to translate that into a timeless image.
Art, for me, is not just a profession, but a way of life and a way of perceiving reality. From an early age, I felt that becoming an artist was not a choice, but an inevitability. I often find myself looking at the world with a constant question: How would I paint this? This way of seeing shapes both my work and my everyday experience.
When I paint, I enter a state of complete immersion almost meditative where time, physical needs, and external distractions fade away. Through my work, I try to preserve fleeting moments, giving them a sense of permanence. I see art as a continuation of the cultural memory shaped by artists, writers, and composers of the past.
My work invites the viewer to slow down and rediscover the beauty of the world to notice what is often overlooked. Whether it is the quiet atmosphere of a landscape or the subtle expression in a human face, I aim to reveal the significance of fleeting moments.
Currently, I am based in Boston, where I am developing a new body of work focused on the landscapes of New England, alongside a series of narrative portraits. At the same time, I am expanding my practice into printmaking, with a particular interest in etching and engraving, following the traditions of artists such as Rembrandt, Dürer, Anders Zorn, and Taras Shevchenko.
Before moving to the United States, I lived and worked in Poland, where I created commissioned portraits and taught students in my studio. I continue to conduct workshops in portrait drawing, watercolor, and plein air painting.
In a world where modern life often isolates people within comfort and routine, my work is a reminder of the vast and profound beauty that surrounds us moments that, once missed, may never be seen again.