Evening Ringing 2004

Viktor Lyapkalo created this oil painting, measuring 90 by 60 centimeters, on canvas. The painting shows a nude woman lying on what seems like a bed, alongside a black cat stretching toward a piece of white fabric. The woman is rendered with soft, fleshy tones, while the background is a mix of cool purples and greens. The surface is thick with layers of paint; you can almost feel the artist building the forms, stroke by stroke. I bet Lyapkalo was really thinking about light and form. How else would you get that pearly, almost glowing skin? It reminds me a little of some of the Old Masters, like Titian, but with a more modern, intimate feel. The black cat is such a great addition, like Manet would have done, adding a touch of the everyday, a hint of mystery. Painting is like a never-ending conversation between artists, echoing and responding to one another across time. We painters learn from each other, remixing ideas. There’s no one way to read a painting. It's all about feeling, seeing, and letting the work speak to you.