“WE DIDN’T PLAN ANY GALLERY. WE JUST WANTED TO THROW OUT THE TRASH AND FIX UP THE HOUSE A BIT.”
Maria Kotova Photo: Nastya Belskaya
“It’s never too late to become who you want to become. Lora Pavlova started her bridge journey at the age of 38-it took her a while to believe in herself. Now she says she feels really happy. Lora is an original abstract artist, a student of the famous Belarusian master Ryszard May. Her works are in private collections in the USA, Europe and even Japan. Laura and I met in an unusual place-the international art gallery Lora Pavlova gallery Lepey, which she and her husband opened in an old wooden house in the village of Cheresovo in the Lepel region.
– Lora, you graduated from the Belarusian Economic University. And how did you become a master?
– I’ve always loved to draw.
I made newspapers at school. At university, she sketched portraits of her classmates in boring lectures. But to become an artist… After graduation, she worked as an accountant’s assistant, secretary, and salesman of hydraulic trolleys, and worked as a commodity specialist for six months. And creativity began on maternity leave. When I became pregnant with my second son, we moved to a house in Kolodishchi.
On New Year’s Eve, I decided to give my husband felt boots. I found only big and stunning ones on sale. My son and I painted them with paints. And suddenly the neighbors and relatives began to order the same. That’s how my felt boots project gradually began. In 2010, they ordered as many as 150 mini felt boots for souvenirs for the Euro. In short, my art boots, as they say, shot.
But then I didn’t even imagine that I would become an artist. Maybe I should have grown up and, apparently, become a little arrogant in order to allow myself to be who I am now.
– But it’s still interesting how your transformation took place. After all, creativity is one thing, but becoming an artist is quite another…
– The period with valenki was quite successful: they wrote about me in magazines, they showed stories on television-no. I got into the catalog ” local design. Personalities and things”, and this became a point in the project.
[I’m proud of my work. But gradually this activity turned into some kind of routine. And one day I realized that I couldn’t do felt anymore. The fire of creativity remained, but there was a feeling that the soul was suffering. It seemed that everything was fine: family, children, home, your own small interesting business-live and rejoice! But somewhere deep inside there is an emptiness…
I believe that everyone has their own purpose. And if you don’t find him, you step aside, you feel very bad. We need to find our way. ]
I’ve always loved to draw. As soon as I entered the university and moved to Minsk, I started going to various exhibitions and galleries. She looked at artists as if they were gods. I was greatly influenced by Julia Cameron’s book. The artist’s Path. There was a certain confidence inside that I could afford to become an artist. First, I gathered a group of children and started doing free art with them, like the studio of Ryszard May, where I worked for my eldest son.
– And how did you become a student of Ryhard May?
– At that time, we had already bought a house on the Lepel lakes and went there in the summer. There is a very beautiful nature there, and I painted everything around: lavender, roses, sunflowers, peonies.
That’s how I spent two years drawing from nature. And then the moment came again when I didn’t know where to go next. And she went to Ryhard Antonovich.
[I came to the studio with flowers, opened the door, tears streaming down my cheeks… There was a feeling that something important was happening. And at the same time despair: I want to be an artist, but I don’t know what to do. “You probably don’t remember me, I took my son to see you. And now I’m trying to draw myself…”He looked at me and asked:”are there any paints? Do you have time? Follow the colors and come study””]
That’s how I came to his studio twice a week. The first time I got some kind of semi-colorful bouquet, Ryhard Antonovich was even surprised: “Oh, so you’re working seriously! I thought you were so…”
A week later, I got my first abstraction. And the question of What to draw next disappeared. I felt free. It was a very fruitful period. Ryhard Antonovich has been working for the last year. I thank him very much, and we are still in touch. If I hadn’t come to him at the age of 38, I would have been on my own, not knowing where to start.
He gave me a lot during the year of classes. Most importantly, he shared his life experience. He never told me how to draw. He “taught without learning,” gave guidance and delicate advice. And china was just a few words. But I understood everything very well. For me, Ryhard May will always be a teacher with a capital letter, and I am pleased that he recognizes me as his student. Thanks to this man, I finally began to call myself an artist.
– Do you think artists can change the public’s view of cultural or social paradigms?
– Right now, I’m sure they can. I myself have gained an understanding of my responsibility. Through my work, I can convey feelings, evoke different emotions in people. Previously, I didn’t like to give names to my works at all, to write annotations – so as not to drive the viewer into the frame. After all, everyone sees something different in abstraction. But now I feel the responsibility of an artist: I can convey meanings and ideas, change people’s attitudes to different things. And I want people to understand my message.
– There is an opinion that the modern bridge is a deconstruction of the past, some kind of scrapping. And accordingly, a modern artist does not need any baggage. Neither Mathis, nor Malevich, nor Ivazovsky, nor Chagall. It’s all getting old. Do you think the background is important?
– Of course, it is important to understand what art actually is, to know its history, so as not to reinvent the wheel. But the most important thing is to remain yourself. Don’t chase fashion, trends. The path to personal style and language in art can be a long one. You need to listen to yourself, and be sure-there will come a time when you will be on trend.
Therefore, the most important thing is to do as you feel and not try to repeat yourself. I know I’m going my own way. I’m not taking over anyone. I agree, looking at world painting, there is nothing personally new in my abstractions, but this is my bridge to somewhere further. Let’s see what happens.
– Let’s go back 10 years ago. Your desire to buy a house in the village-what was it —
“I just wanted a lake house because
She grew up in a village near a lake. Arthur didn’t mind either. In addition, the welcome show is a time when you wanted your own place to relax. Moreover, it is very beautiful in Belarus. Once on the Internet, I found a house in Cheresovo on the Lepel lakes, and I sent a photo to Arthur. He went to see it and bought it the next day. This is also an interesting story. I know what an old house looks and smells like. But when I entered our new house, I couldn’t find any other words.-
key mats… The house had to be demolished. But it was very beautiful all around. Gradually, we built a new house, put everything in order, and planted lavender. For the last three years, our lavender field has been hosting photo shoots. And last summer we even held a Better Lavender festival with music, a food truck, and cool people.
– How has the village changed since you settled there?
– The village has come to life! When we first arrived nine years ago, no one even mowed the grass around their fence. Gradually, everything changed. Our village is quite quiet, but lively. In recent years, people from Minsk have bought several houses.
[At first, the neighbors were surprised at us: “Why plant lavender?”, “Why do you need an art gallery in the village?”And now they are inviting relatives to look at the paintings! People always feel warmth and sincerity. ]
– I can’t help but ask about your dreams, goals, and new projects…
– Unfortunately, there is no culture of buying paintings in Belarus, and I want to correct this situation. I want to introduce art to people. Quite often, abstraction is treated as if this direction was invented only yesterday. But it appeared at the beginning of the twentieth century. And I want to tell people about it-what kind of artists these abstractionists are, and why they painted like that. There is an idea to make an art trail to the lake in the village. And hold a land art festival. In short, there are many plans. But we need support. Therefore, we are very happy to welcome every guest!
