1987-1983 Pan-Russian State University of Cinematography

Work:

After graduating from the university, Lena started working on the design of polygraph products. She designed postcards and illustrated children's literature.

Later, working side by side with her spouse under the project of the Embassy of Syria, she created art panels in the genre of Eastern miniature painting.

All of the previously accumulated experience led the artist to a new beginning- style of folk crafts. After becoming acquainted with the art history of traditional Russian wooden dolls, Lena conceived a passion for painting nested dolls (“matreshka”). At that time she mostly concentrated on dolls portraying Father Frost, which is the Russian version of Santa Claus. Lena has been working in that area for over five years. Today, the development of the exclusive designs of painted toys is the core of her work. Her works of art found home in the private collections in England , United States , France and Belgium . Recently Laura Bush added Lena 's items to her collection. Artist's work stands out with its individuality, unusual warmth, and the inimitable picturesque. Characters from author's paintings always provoke vivid interest and liking in the audience. Most of her characters are children. This allowed her to fully articulate the talent in the area of psychological portrait. Her works are not only wonderful in addition to the interior decoration, but also are items of educational value. With close examination of the paintings and attention to the numerous details and plot, one can learn about traditional Russian winter holidays and amusements, about the style of children's clothing customary in the 19 th century in Russian rural and urban areas, as well as Russian architecture. The 19 th century Russian historical costume is fully illustrated in the works of Lena . The designs on headscarves and shawls portrayed on many dolls depict motifs of famous artists of Pavlov Posad. The designs of shirts and sarafans are inspired by ornamental embroidery typical of different Russian provinces in the 18 th -19 th centuries, which Lena likes to add to many different details to her designs, including expressively painted domestic items such as bast sleds, wooden buckets, kitchen utensils and samovars. Some doll designs are built around the tea party theme. They illustrate traditional Tula spice cakes, kalatches, pirogues and kulebyakas. The audience becomes familiar with many aspects of the way of life in Russian villages in the 18-19 th centuries; in some paintings Lena included not only cats and dogs living in the house during the wintertime along with the family, but also poultry and even cattle. Intricate details like that allow one to gain knowledge of interesting aspects and historical facts of Russian culture and tradition.

Lena Sachuk is a wonderful artist, master of vivid sketch technique. Her great talents and skillfulness in the field, as well as keen taste, kindness, optimism and warmth toward children, animals and beauty inspire her to create wonderful specimen of art worthy of the highest appraisal.

Item description :

1) Father Frost, 19”( 50 cm), “ Christmas Eve” The plot of the painting is based on the details of Russian rural architecture. Children on the illustration are wearing traditional Russian clothing of the 19th century. Girls are dressed in kokoshniks, Pavlov shawls, short sheepskin coats, printed wool sarafans and felt boots. Boys are wearing hats with earflaps. The design shows children playing- sledding (sleds are shown, as made out of bast), participating in the game called “ Riverline”, also dancing and singing to accordion. You can see frost covered window with carved window faces on the Father Frost's gift sack. Young village children are depicted looking at the frost designs on the window.

2) Father Frost, 13” (35cm), “ New Year's Eve Tea Party” New Year's Eve is one of the most favorite holidays in Russia . According to the tradition, people gather around the New Year's Tree, which is decorated with ripe apples. They have tea with honey, kuliches and kulebyakas, sitting around the samovar. It was also customary to visit fun fairs where people could enjoy the local amusements, such as riding carrousels, small circuses and trading folk crafts. Children shown in the front of Father Frost are dressed in traditional Russian shirts with red-black embroidery, typical for central region of Russian Empire of the 19 th century.

3) Santa Claus, 13”( 35 cm) “Gnomes- musicians“ This is a statuette of a Russian Santa, holding a sack, full of presents for the children, on his shoulder. The plot of the painting that decorates the statuette is based on the children's fairy tails about gnomes. Merry Gnomes- musicians gathered under the Christmas tree to play their simple reed pipes and violins, dance and celebrate the beginning of the New Year. With a closer look at the details on the statuette’s coat, hat and mittens, you will see that they are decorated with wonderfully executed traditional folk designs. The back of the sack that the Santa is holding is painted with winter scenery typical for Russian rural areas, with birches and wild ash trees, and covered with snow.