Sister and Brother 1985

Sergiy Grigoriev made this painting called "Sister and Brother" with oil on canvas; it captures a winter scene with a brother and sister enjoying a sled ride. The way Grigoriev handles paint here is pretty straightforward, almost chunky, and very satisfying. Look at the marks in the snow, they are dabbed on with purpose. The palette is muted, mostly earth tones, which gives the whole scene a calm, understated vibe. The texture of the paint is also super important here, especially in the kids' clothes and hats. Now, let’s zoom in on the brother’s jacket. Notice how the thick strokes of brown and grey give it this warm, cozy feel. You can almost feel the weight of the fabric and the layers of warmth it provides. It's like Grigoriev is not just painting a jacket but capturing the essence of winter protection. I think of Fairfield Porter in relation to this piece. There's that same sense of everyday life, rendered with this casual, painterly touch. Ultimately, this is a piece about seeing and feeling, and maybe even remembering.