Honorable Mention
Two apples
DESCRIPTION
"White... is not a mere absence of color; it is a shining and affirmative thing, as fierce as red, as definite as black... God paints in many colors; but He never paints so gorgeously, I had almost said so gaudily, as when He paints in white."Gilbert K. Chesterton
As a day goes by and the sun does the circle of the day from east to the west, the light changes and brings an infinite palette of white. The color white projects purity, cleanliness, and neutrality, do everybody see the same? White is a traditional color worn by brides in the western world and some other countries, but in China and parts of Africa, white is the color of mourning. The egg is a symbol of the birth, but a white skull represents death. There are hundreds of shades of white in nature, but does pure white really exist? "Off-White" collection (more than 20 pieces) is about looking at everyday objects and seeing the beauty in each of them under a different light.
Each photograph was taken with sunlight only from one window but on a different time of day, which brings the beauty of unique shade of white.
AUTHOR
Upon seeing Yelena Strokin's images for the first time, the viewer can't help but be captured by their elegant, Old World beauty. The glowing, Caravaggioesque light that defines her work imparts a jewel-like quality to glass and fruits. Bold colors of produce, flowers, butterflies and European antiques set against a rich background are arranged in carefully crafted compositions that recall the old Masters of the Flemish style of painting from the 17th century. Vegetables seen through Yelena's lens, are luxurious pieces of sculpture. Sumptuous textures, whether the shimmer of fine fabric, the luminosity of fine porcelain and old silver or the earthiness of rough wood add strength and richness to her images.Yelena was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, has traveled extensively throughout Europe and Asia and now makes her home in Bucks County Pennsylvania. She is a trained chef and has formally studied design and photography. Her love of classical, European art and antiques, her appreciation of the natural beauty of objects from the fields and woods near her home as well as country bread, fruits, and vegetables from her kitchen and garden have all found expression and harmonious life in her artwork.
Whether formal and delicate or simple and rustic, Yelena's exquisitely crafted work possesses a timeless quality that transcends culture and continents to add graciousness and beauty to any setting.
