Visiting the Sea. Journey with the artist Konstantin Prusov

A melon and lemons

A melon and lemons often save me during trips. And if the melon can substitute lunch the lemons perfectly refresh water.

Now this painting is a reason to rest, my dear reader. It doesn't have any special meaning but it has a beauty of textures and color.

Leave a bookmark, take a rest – we will have busy days.

A melon and lemons. 2019. Canvas, oil. 70x90 cm

A melon and lemons. 2019. Fragment

Quiet steps

Quiet evening. There is no one in the narrow streets. A white town is ready to fall asleep. A labyrinth of its streets inspires for being alone, and every new turn gives you a new composition for a painting – just paint!

Such towns encourage to wonder and dream. My painting is just about that – it seems simple but whole life is in this simplicity.

I painted this work in remembrance of Ostuni – a small town in the south of Italy. It became a first stop of my journey during which I decided to paint a series of sketches on nature. And they are what our story will be about.

Quiet steps. Ostuni. 2018. Canvas, oil. 93x70 cm

The artist's diary. In the south of Italy

July. The heat. I am going to the south of Italy – to work in open air. I got prepared very well – made a special box for small canvases on cardboard to transport just finished works; I did not bring a heavy sketch box with me and instead I used a light portable easel, and I put paint and brushes along with pinene into a special backpack.

I suppose it will be a busy month. So exciting – I am going to unknown region alone!

On plein air. Somewhere in the south of Italy

13th of July. White town. Ostuni

Finally I reached Ostuni – a white pearl of the southern part of Italy. I live in a typical for this town house with the stone arches. I feel myself like a child in a small castle. I'm full of energy. I am going to find a necessary view taking with me all the materials for painting. And finally, when I went far away from crowded place and jumped over a high hence (perhaps I reminded an insane person), in the shadow of ruined street I found an arch with the fabulous view from it. The heat doesn't confuse me. Even if I'm sunburned I will still paint this scene!

White town. Ostuni. 2018. Canvas on cardboard, oil. 30x24 cm

14th of July. A sunrise in the street of Ostuni

People who crowded near the main cathedral of Ostuni in the daytime were so annoying! I love to paint landscapes without people – they are primeval in such a away. So I went to create at sunrise. Alone. Only the wind at my back. I was cold so much. However the painting is finished – what is more important than this at the moment? If only I could bring it home and not to drop. Wind, you are out of place!

A sunrise in the street of Ostuni. 2018. Canvas on cardboard, oil. 30x24 cm

15th of July. Night Ostuni

How beautiful Ostuni is at night – I must paint! Yes, paint on location, not from a photograph that many artists often use. No, I'm for painting from nature when I create works of this kind. And I painted all my landscapes from nature.

It's not easy but so inspiring – to go and solve art tasks on site! I climbed a half-ruined shack. People are looking at me from the balconies of nearby houses – I don't mind. A streetlight is next to me – what more could I ask for? Two hours – and night Ostuni has appeared on the small canvas. Another happiness. It happens again and again when my work is successful!

Night Ostuni. 2018. Canvas on cardboard, oil. 24x30 cm

18th of July. Secrets of night streets. Matera

Night in Matera. A sense of mystery doesn't leave me for a minute. Midnight. People are walking somewhere above. I start painting. In an hour – complete silence. Just me and cats looking at me in surprise, more often frightened when they see an alien in familiar places. But I know that they steal fish from trash cans ripping the packages. We reached an agreement – I keep painting. It's good that the streetlight is so close to me and I am able to observe the result. The lights went out. Everything belongs to the artist, more precisely – to his art.

Secrets of night streets. Matera. 2018.Canvas on cardboard, oil. 30x24 cm

19th of July. Matera under the sun

Daytime. Bright sunshine. I don't plan to paint anything. Suddenly apartment employees who curiously watched my art adventures all these days, asked me if I could depict the town from another side. Of course! Five minutes to pack. I'm ready.

We are driving speaking all languages we know and understand each other perfectly. Another proposal – do you want to see Jesus? You bet! We are running. Illegally we break into an ancient temple – a cave where He is waiting for us. I will remember this illicit meeting with Jesus my entire life. Wonderful but I must paint!

Encouraged, I quickly find a view of Matera from the cave similar to the Jesus grotto. Delight – it will be a little pearl…

Matera under the sun. 2018. Canvas on cardboard, oil. 18x24 cm

21st of July. An old boat. Gallipoli

I wish to paint a boat but where to find a special one, with spirit? My path led to Gallipoli – a town in Apulia in the south of Italy. I walked around a small historic center, visited the bay. I was not satisfied, I didn't see a composition. Having passed an ancient fountain in the town bay I found that I was looking for – a charismatic boat. It was abandoned but the artist would paint it – he loves blue color!

An old boat. Gallipoli. 2018. Canvas on cardboard, oil. 18x24 cm

23th of July. Olives at sunrise

Reviewing works I had painted for several days in Italy I understood one thing – there wasn't enough nature. How could I not paint olives? Unforgivable! I decided to complicate my task and to depict them early in the morning, to catch a sunrise.

And here sun mildly begins to show its character and olives humbly accept its will. The artist takes brushes and follows closely this wonderful connection.

Olives at sunrise. 2018. Canvas on cardboard, oil. 18x24 cm

The train between south cities of Italy. 2018

Fresco fragment. Somewhere in the south of Italy

24th of July. On the edge of Italy

I was looking for the sea but I found something special. It was my final work while visiting Italy.

The day when I went to Italian heel was hot. Who would have thought – it's impossible to reach it by train. Only by car or bus that has no schedule. I had to walk in total 12 km from and to railway station. To say I was exhausted would be an understatement. Especially on my way back after work was finished. At that moment fig ripening on plantations saved me. Tasty, ripe…

And in order to find an appropriate angle at main object I had to work for it. It was worth it but my poor legs…have walked so many kilometers.

After work I managed to drink a cold beer before siesta had started when all the people simply disappear. Tired but happy I went forward taking a look at the endless sea one last time…

A fig. Somewhere in the south of Italy

On the edge of Italy. 2018. Canvas on cardboard, oil. 24x18 cm

Ceramic decor. Somewhere in the south of Italy

The formula of Rome

My plein air painting in the south of Italy is completed – pleased with the job I've done I'm coming back to Rome. I appreciate this city a lot – for good and bad. So my bags are in the apartment and it's time for a walk.

Late in the evening after returning from Caracalla thermal baths I found marvelous pines near the Coliseum. They were illuminated by yellow streetlights – such a magnificent decision! Their texture and elegant silhouette could not inspire my creativity more.

I met only one passer-by on my way. Incredibly but if you just move away from the Coliseum a little bit people disappear, especially in the evening.

A young man in a red shirt was examining a piece of paper. It was a letter most likely. I was surprised by the scene – the pines seemed to spy on the personal correspondence. And how many lives have they seen in their lifetime? But still the Coliseum was the oldest here, not to mention stars in the sky.

In all of this I saw a life formula. There is an eternal and there is an ephemeral – everything depends on what Rome decides – to keep you in its memories or to erase forever.

The formula of Rome. 2018. Canvas, oil. 100x70 cm

All the tangerines of Emperor Konstantin

Emperor Konstantin left an indelible trace in Rome history – do you understand what mind you must have to remain in the city's memory? And despite the fact that Konstantin transferred the capital of the Roman Empire to Byzantium, his governance changed a way of Romans life.

I remember my first impression of the city – sun, peach color of houses, tangerine trees and sense of powerful energy coming from the monuments walls. Admiration!

In the Capitol museums fragments of Emperor Konstantin statue are kept. Attentively analyzing them I imagined this legendary personality being young – he stood at the threshold of new discoveries. Soon he will recognize Christianity – there is a chrismon behind his back on the first church roof but a pagan temple is still nearby. Certainly the history of change was not easy – we can only imagine the cost.

However this work is not about Konstantin's acts but it's about the pursuit of new horizons. The young emperor is wearing an extraordinary wreath – tangerines represent the symbol of his power. Why not – the emperor is free to create new symbols. His eyes are powerful tool given him by God. And if you don't interfere with Konstantin you will never see the reflection of destructive force in his eyes which lays deep in his subconscious.

All the tangerines of Emperor Konstantin. 2016. Paper, tempera. 29,7x21 cm

Are you waiting for me?

In fresh morning I was walking along the seaside and noticed a large fluffy dog who was observing the ships in the horizon. The wind was petting his heavy and long fur what obviously made the dog happy. I'd very much like to believe that he was waiting for his owner – a sailor who went out to the sea, and his house was behind me, moreover the front door was open.

When I looked at the house more attentively I realized that it was in emergency condition. Perhaps the dog waited out the bad weather there. He seemed to be so independent and confident but as we know these qualities often accompany the loneliness.

I took off my ear pods, sat on the sand and called this fluffy stranger. He happily turned around – his eyes looked at me with incredible hope. He was so full of kindness that would be enough for all mankind.

Are you waiting for me? 2015. Canvas, oil. 108x80 cm

An Amazon

The next day when I was jogging along the promenade I did not find the fluffy stranger. But I saw a very interesting lady where the wonderful dog had sat before. Were they both really waiting for the same person? My intuition told me they were.

The girl was hiding under umbrella which are very common in Niece. A wreath of lilies was successfully placed on her head, and one of her breasts was knowingly bare – in this guise she reminded an Amazon performing magic ritual. Maybe in that way she wanted to return his beloved fast. My intuition again told me – yes!

Oh what the sea does to people – they gain sincerity and courage in the expression of their emotions. What a pleasure to watch this – love here is like a fish to water.

An Amazon. 2015. Canvas, oil. 105x80 cm

The Last Supper

The large but modest table brought together many guests. Is there a place for us? The edge of the table is washed by the sea which looks differently due to yellow-green stream. Not every day you are lucky to see such a magic interior!

Today they treat us with fish and bread with a golden crust that reminds corals, and the table cloth – a sandy bay. Strange associations but I believe my own eyes!

There is a big cup of wine in the center. Guests are not hurrying to pour wine by the glass – they are missing somebody. I hope we are not the reason for delay, and if so, we should apologize.

The Last Supper. Version II. 2011. Canvas, oil. 149x60 cm

The Last Supper. Version II. 2011. Fragment

Epilogue. A pear and plums

I returned home in the end of August. The happiness of meeting my Mother and Pablo is the sincerest on earth.

It was warm and dry weather. Traditionally our table was modest but unbelievably delicious. A pear and plums were on a white tray which became my first ceramic work. Outside the window there was a splendid petunia reminding of coastal towns.

In my arsenal I had a few tubes of green-blue paint. It will be my seventh painting in still life series – my favorite number.

I take sky-blue color – outline details of the composition. I save white for last as well as carbon black – I will highlight the tray contour with it and place small accents. I have blue-green paint in plenty – with bristle brush I enthusiastically spread it around the petunia pattern. Marine impressions infiltrate just through such colors combination but I need to strengthen them – a yellow pear appears. And so it would have company two friends plums are balancing next to it. This gesture adds positive dynamics – admit that it's so much more interesting this way!

I finished. I step away from the easel. «The sea is even here!» – my Mother wondered. We are laughing. Pablo is looking at canvas attentively – I need to lower down the easel. In approval he is bravely poking the painting with his black nose – it is painted marine shades now as well!

A pear and plums against petunias. 2019. Canvas, oil. 70x80 cm

A pear and plums against petunias. 2019. Fragment

Pablo and Dali at the seaside. 2019

Madonna with the dog. 2019. Canvas, oil. 90x80 cm

Art, graphics, ceramics, text, photos – Konstantin Prusov.

I am thankful to: Marina Ustinova for translation; My Mother, Pablo and my friends for being close to me!

www.prusov.gallery

2020