The life of Alexander Krasnov from four years and up today, told by himself.

 

I have studied a lot. First institution, which every child must withstand, of course was a school. Alas, I have not succeeded in sciences there. I did not know why may be because of someone's spiteful will, I idolized notebooks with pages lined in squares. YES. It was not a thing for writing down arithmetical equations but as a material for my magic touch to rule imaginary battles. Better to say in other words – war fights. There were millions of ships, planes, tanks, cannons and other wonderful things. I was always upset when I had heard the bell’s tinkling forcing me to slam un-started attack of guerrilla group against a column of fascist motorcyclists. Believe it or not - I was absorbed by it at every lesson! Except Drawing and Astronomy lessons!

Another important fact influenced on my further life was quite good father’s library and fine arts albums as part of it. My Father placed them in front of me absently. These first memories about his tricks referred to my age of four, serene years, and my acquaintance with new world, when this serenity evaporated as useless liquid.

My mother was a musician. She taught to play the piano in a musical school. It turned out that I also became a student of that school. The VIOLIN CLASS. My mother tells: “Remember when you were four you had seen the violin in a music shop? What was special in it? I would never forget how you were bawling and asking to buy it”. “Yes, I remember it. But I did not know it would go so far.

Both schools were over. Ahead of me was a new world presented by my father.  My mother and I were from St. Petersburg by origin. Under my parents’ watchful eye I went there. To restoration art school. I called it that way when I was ashamed to call it a vocational school. Actually indeed professional restorers were trained in that school. It was really interesting but not for me.  My supposed profession was carpenter - parquet layer, specialist in colour palace parquet. The palaces were trusted to excellent students only. For the same reason as it was in the old good school time I was not. However, there were other troubles there.

ANIMATION. That thing attracted me this time. I saw the advert: “For all comers… etc., etc. It was a Documentary Film Studio. Griboyedov’s Canal, Mikhail Boyarskiy, passing by, the church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood no more than 50 meters. The year 1979. About forty-five people came to participate in these classes. Seven days later, there were just three of us left. Why am I telling you this? Just to emphasize my connection to this genre. This experience is still important for me.

Krasnoyarsk. I was lucky again for the third time. I entered the KAS - Krasnoyarsk Art School named after V.I. Surikov. My creative journey began within the walls and went out of them. My first inspirer was Alexander Shilov. At first it was only his technique of painting. As I developed my drawing skills soon other masters caught my attention. Such as Serov, Tropinin Velasquez, Bosch, the Lesser Dutchmen – and till now they are teaching me some sense. And where are the characters from I HAVE TO depict, is still the mystery.

They are not from nowhere, I am sure!

The only thing I’m sure of – there is definitely the reason for them to appear.