Original pastel by Katya Gridneva 'Helen'
Valery was born in Siberia in 1956. His formal art training was delayed by his selection for one of Russia’s elite sports schools and spending 5 years as a professional cyclist. After military service he returned to Sverdlovsk and entered the Art College. In 1982 he was accepted at the Repin Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture in St. Petersburg.
One of his graduation paintings, ‘Early Years’, won him a prestigious prize, the Gold medal of the Academy of Arts in 1990. In 1995 he turned down the offer of a teaching post at the Academy so that he could concentrate on his own creative work. In 1996, in recognition of his outstanding ability he was awarded a special studio by the city of St Petersburg.
In 1999 Valery and his wife, Katya Gridneva arrived in the U.K. on special artist’s visas and they are currently working as artists in residence at Highclere Castle, near Newbury, on the estate of Lord Caernarvon. One of Valery’s pastels was entered into the ‘One Hundred Years of Pastel’ exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London where it was awarded best in show and sold for £2000 on the first day.
Katya was born in 1965 in the Ukraine and although as a child she loved to draw and paint, this talent was set aside when she was selected to be a gymnast and sent to one of Russia’s prestigious Sports Schools. This career came to an abrupt end when she was injured in a fall from the bar.
Her considerable artistic talent was recognised by her acceptance in
1993 at the Academy of Fine Arts in St Petersburg without the usual
prerequisite of a formal art training at one of Russia’s Art Schools.
She won first prize for her portraits at the end of her first year of
studies and went on to graduate in June of 1999.
Since his move to this country Valery has exhibited several times in London and has achieved a considerable level of recognition, particularly for his pastel studies and portraiture. In 2003 he was elected as a member of the Pastel Society and his work is regularly accepted at the Mall Galleries He has also recently been made an associate of the ROI. Valery and his wife and son (also a talented artist) recently moved to central London and he has consolidated his position with exhibitions at venues including, The Mall Galleries; One Three Nine Gallery, London; Arndean Gallery, Cork Street, London; & the Cross Gate Gallery, USA.
Katya is best known for her figurative work, which includes many studies of dancers. Several of her models are ballerinas from the world famous Kirov company and she is given privileged access backstage at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg in order to study the dancers. Katya’s pastels of ballerinas are classically elegant and a recent series of ‘Cabaret’ dancers has been very well received. She is equally accomplished working in oils, pastel or charcoal.
Her recent exhibitions include regular participation at the Mall Galleries
in London and she has also shown at the One Three Nine Gallery, London;
Arndean Gallery, Cork Street, London & Cross Gate Gallery in the USA.