I am an artist who uses portraiture as a means to explore emotional state. I work with reference images which I take of my friends and people I know or meet. What triggers my artistic interest is the stillness of the moment, the frame caught up in time, frozen. Through my work I explore the solitary moment, the moment when we have an opportunity to explore our inner world. Using layers and distortions I hope to create a sense of disconnection and time; as if pushing the image back, away from the viewer. In my work, the subject’s hands and gesticulation are often more important than their face. I believe that the way we keep our hands is very representative of our character and current emotion. Our body language always mirrors our state.

Katya Kvasova (b. 1980, Latvia) studied at Art School in Riga, Latvia; St Petersburg and Rostov-on-Don, Russia 1995 – 2000. Group shows include: “Beyond Other Horizons”, Iasi Palace of Culture, Romania, 2020; “Sound. Image”, Surface Gallery, Nottingham, 2019; “Does the Body Rule the Mind…?” Studio 1.1, London, 2018; “The Overview Effect” in Lewisham Arthouse, London, 2016. She also curated “Chinese Whispers” project 2016-2018. She has had solo shows in New Russian Gallery, Rostov-on-Don, Russia and in Columbus, USA. Her work was shortlisted and exhibited in Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours in 2018.

To inquire about or purchase any of these works, please contact Katya directly at katya.kvasova@gmail.com. To see more of Katya’s work, visit www.katyakvasova.com.

“Enough” mixed media on paper, 30 x 46 cm (£525).
“Enough 2” watercolours on paper, 62 x 46 cm (£545).
“Stripes” oil on canvas, 50 x 35 cm (£600).
“Rooted 2” mixed media on paper, 75 x 57 cm (£600).
“Never Alone” mixed media on canvas, 40 x 30 cm (£560).
“Mothers 1” mixed media on paper, 46 x 30 cm (£465).
“Mothers 2” mixed media on paper, 46 x 30 cm (£465).
“Wonder” watercolours on paper, 47 x 31 cm (£550).
“Waiting 2” mixed media on paper, 36 x 53 cm (£500).
“Fine-tuning” mixed media on paper, 31 x 46 cm (£470).

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