Veronica Kvassetskaia-Tsyglan (Kva-set–sky-ya – t-see-g-lan) (born December 28, 1966) is a Canadian classical realist painter specializing in the
Old Masters' technique. She is active in the contemporary revival of the classical tradition of fine art portraiture in Canada.[1] She founded the Portrait Society of Canada in 2001 in Toronto, Canada and is the current chairman.[2][dead link]
Life
Kvassetskaia was born on December 28, 1966, in Moscow to Russian mother Taisia Levicheva and Polish father Vladimir Kvassetski. She has an older sister named Olga.
Kvassetskaia-Tsyglan began displaying talent and an affection for the arts at an early age—playing the violin, singing, sculpting and drawing. Later on, she developed an interest in analytical chemistry, science and psychology.
From a young age, Kvassetskaia knew that she wanted to be an artist[3] and as a teenager she began reproducing works of the
Old Masters. She became a pupil of the Soviet Ossetian artist Lolita Gally. She studied Fine Art at the V. Surikov State Academy Art Institute, then Art History at the
Moscow State University.[4][5]
She emigrated from Russia in 1991.
Kvassetskaia-Tsyglan studied in
Frankfurt, Germany while working in the field of restoration. She reproduced Old Masters' works in
Alte Pinakothek, the
Louvre, and then in
Larnaca, Cyprus where she studied Greek Orthodox iconography at the Agia Moni Monastery workshop.[6] In 1996, she moved to
Toronto, Canada, where she lives and paints at her studio in Willowdale.[7]
Kvassetskaia-Tsyglan has researched her craft, its history and techniques.[9] Her central focus has been uncovering, understanding and reproducing the secrets of the Old Masters.
Her portraits have been exhibited in museums[10] and private and corporate collections internationally.[11][12][13] Her works can be found in the collections of former Canadian Finance Minister
Jim Flaherty and the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, The Hon.
David Onley, the Countess Von
Wedel,
Sonja Bata Museum and St. Marks Coptic Museum.
^"Get face-to-face with portrait artist’s work”. Public invited to showing Sunday. Article by Lisa Queen. North York Mirror. 11/09/09. Page 3
^"Portrait Artist work". Article by Alena Joukova for the Russian Carousel, no 49, December 5, 2007, Page 33.
^“Canadian talent showcased in portrait exhibit. The Art of Canadian music, Art and Culture” Article by Madalena Hubert. Epoch Times, Canada, March 10, 2011, Page B5
^“La Musique Canadienne en peinture”, by Vincent Muller. L’Express, March 15, 2011, Page 9
^“Putting Canadian Entertainers in Picture. Four week exhibition of portraits saluting country’s talent.” Art Section. Tandem/Corriere Canadese, February 27, 2011, Page 11
^“Supporting Olympians through Art” , article by Loreanna De Giorgio, Arts and Entertainment. Bayview Mills Town Crier. Feb 2010. Page 12