Dacha in Russian means summer house, country home, or cottage. They are deeply detailed to which I barely scraped the surface. They are like mini gingerbread houses propped up in the wild woods. I’ve never seen such colors paint the forest. Bright pinks and neon teals.

Dacha the word, looks very similar to my own name “Dana”, just with the n flipped upside down. A staple to people who probably don’t understand Russian, but who can identify its characters, may say its the language with “backwards letters”. I took the time to make a self portrait with this knowledge.

I do enjoy a nice dwelling, somewhere somebody has been obviously living. If I could be a fly on the wall to look at a babushka’s [grandmothers] trinkets, I would be the upmost entertained, amused, and fulfilled.

7.25 x 11.5, gouache on solid pine

Dача

The Summerhouse of My Mind

луковичная глава

Even the Countryside has Onion Domes

9.25 x 9.25, gouache on pine veneer and hard pine shadowbox

A staple of Russian architecture is that of it’s onion-like shaped domes. I have painted this one here in gold so that in the light it stands out to be the first thing you see. Much of Russia is untamed and still quite wild, so visualizing a wooden little structure like this across a river would be quite natural. I can see chickens running about and hear birds tweeting in the pines.

Baba Yaga and The Hiding Legs

Баба Яга

Something that I have learned about other cultures is that their folktales may have supernatural characters, but they also have a very humanistic duality to them. The one that stands out to be the most interesting is Baba Yaga. Equally a feared and helpful being, this grandmother will either eat you or give you wisdom, protection, and magical aid. Hilarious extremes in my personal opinion.

Perhaps this looks like just a dilapidated old wooden home, it’s definitely not the summery bright dacha’s as previously mentioned, but there is more to it. She’s looking at you. There is a witch inside and giant hidden chicken legs tucked underneath, that are ready to sprint at a moments notice. The little trees are afraid to grow too tall just to be stomped down by a sharp chicken claw.

5 x 5.75, gouache on solid hard maple

金魚

The Luckiest Fish of The Sea

In Osaka, Japan, there are art installations set up with telephone booths full of goldfish. They look so cool, but why goldfish? Goldfish are considered to be good luck and symbolize beauty and tranquility. Japanese people are also obsessed with aesthetics, beauty, and small things (just a small introduction to their fascinations before we reach the next few paintings). Just like many niches of Japan’s society, they have dedicated generations to curate their own breeds, one in particular with a flowing tail. You can see goldfish depicted in folk tale prints bringing prosperity and wealth. For a second, I thought it was just a silly fish.

3 x 3, gouache on solid hard maple

Food is a Serious Business

ラーメン

When it comes to food, I learned at a young age, what it took to become one with the Japanese society: hard work, dedication, and loyalty. Most Japanese people take the time to learn their craft at a perfectionist degree, which can probably describe why just any old ramen shop will do. My understanding was further confirmed in 2012 when I watched Jiro Dreams of Sushi. I’ve never been more struck by the degree at which a person can function as a perfectionist and have it work. Of course, this is a double-sided coin at which the other-side side holds the darker truths to the country’s mental health.

It’s not just food, it’s the powerful decision to love one thing and to master it to the fullest degree possible.

4.5 x 8, gouache on solid pine

Ikebana for the Spirit

生け花

Ikebana is a large art form that has deep roots into Japanese thought. It comes from the idea of zen philosophy where all things have balance. Ikebana are usually floral arrangements made to be asymmetrical, seasonal, and minimalistic. Every detail is thought of down to the contemplation of the vessel. Ikebana is an incredibly spiritual and meditative practice. The maker has a list of very specific rules to follow in order for it to be considered an ikebana arrangement as well. Another example of the Japanese dedication to one small part of a greater whole.

This painting has been meditated on for the entire length of me preparing for this exhibition. It was the first painting I started and the last to be finished. Its quite symbolic that this painting was the one I had to contemplate the most.

7.25 x 19, gouache on solid hard maple

Japan Town - The Best Cafe

一番

Beautiful and quaint are the buildings that are squished together in Japan. I love looking at the cityscapes. There is so much design and thought put forward to integrate buildings into and preserve nature that already exists. In my own painting I decided to add a cute little bonsai to spruce the place up a bit.

6 x 6.5, gouache on solid pine

A Russian Tea Party

Cамовар

A Samovar is essentially a tea kettle. It brilliantly uses the metal and hot charcoals to heat up water. It also doubles as a space at the top for the tea pot to sit to keep warm. Its a very traditional thing to see these round bagel looking breads called bublik (бублик) at the table. The red strand being a practical way to keep all of the bagels together. You will also see another classic way to wrap chocolates in the upper left of the painting. They become an odd rectangle and triangle shape.

6 x 7, gouache on solid hard maple

The Honey Pot for Pancakes

блины

The Russian pancake looks more like a crepe, but it is quite delightful. This was a wonderful excuse to paint a teapot and honey. Blini can be sweet or a savory food.

7 x 9.5, gouache on solid pine

береза

There is no denying that Russia has a ginormous geographical spread. Often by Russian painters, I have seen this expansiveness take shape and I decided to follow in suit with one of my own. Always big clouds, a bit of yellow, and green fields. The great open countryside. Of course we cannot forget the beryoza, which is a birch tree. I recently discovered that birches are the national tree of Russia and I’ve always enjoyed the company of a birch tree, especially in Utah. If you’ve ever made the drive between Dog Valley and Filmore, UT, you can see these similar large clouds, yellows and blues of the mountains.

5 x 8, gouache on solid hard maple

Expansiveness

Белая уточка

The White Duck

The white duck is a darker folktale with similar tropes (to other stories) like transformation, death, wolf in sheeps clothing, vigilance, good, and evil. In the story, the white duck is a watchful mother to her three ducklings. I included a babushka head scarf and flower motifs often found in Russian design. Russia also is often termed as “the motherland”.

6.75 x 10.5, gouache on solid hard maple

The Japanese Countryside

日本の田舎

5 x 7, gouache on solid hard maple

The Japanese countryside has a very distinct look, even with shapes and minimal detail.

You can often find trees wrapped with a rope (shimenawa) with papers zizag cut (shide) around shinto shrines and during festivals (matsuri). They usually indicate a holy or sacred tree.

For the purpose of my tree, I have deemed it to be a meeting place, one in which two people can meet under during a matsuri. What comes to mind are very stereotypical school-life animes and their first-date cliches (which I thoroughly enjoy watching in my free time).

Whenever You Will Join

紙垂

6 x 6.75, ink and gouache on solid pine

Japan Town - Powerlines are a Staple

電線

Upon reaching Japan, the first thing you might notice are the powerlines. They are EVERYWHERE. Please enjoy this last piece of my exhibition that explores a simple line drawing of a japanese street. The shapes enamor me completely.

4.5 x 5.25, gouache on solid hard maple