June 2022 update:
Olena and her family are now amid the most horrible war in Ukraine. They are surviving. Growing food garden.
Join our efforts to help this family by buying Olena's artwork.
Olena Light (full name - Olena Plotnikova) is a Russian artists living in Ukraine. The life story of this extraordinary woman is worth a book. Her original life-time career was a tough job of a mining engineer. All her life she worked in mile-deep mines side by side with heavy duty miners, always full of energy, enthusiasm and love for life.
In 2014, this fragile and yet strong woman discovered art of painting. At first, O. Light started painting at night, because early morning she had to go to work. Very soon her surprising hobby became her new profession, passion, and a lifestyle.
Immediately it was clear that Olena has an incredible talent. Every character of her work is full of life (note those eyes in the portraits - they will follow you!), every detail, every feather or a hair looks real!
Olena's diverse life activities and inexhaustible optimism is reflected in every painting. They all are filled with Light, Freedom, Happiness, Inner Warmth, and Color.
From day one of her newly discovered creative life, Olena is dedicated to learning painting techniques, taking classes, improving her skills, and surprising the World with her amazing, happy artwork.
Many paintings of Olena Light now belong to private collections all over the world, including USA, Europe, and Middle East. In her home town Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, Olena is a center of attention of both local and National galleries, TV shows and media.
Academy of Contemporary Arts
Artists Trade Union of Russia
Art. Excellence. Awards, 2020 Silver Medal Award in Portrait
Art. Excellence. Awards, 2020 Silver Medal Award in Drawing
2019 1st Award for Talent of Russia Contest
2020 National Art Awards in local exhibit halls
2018 International Art Exhibit in St Petersburg, Russia
2020 International Art Exhibit in St Petersburg, Russia – “Cat Portrait” Nominee
TV Grand Opening of the Personal Exhibit Gallery
TV Talent of Russia exhibit 2019
TV Art Excellence Awards - Silver awards in 3 seasons
Pinacotheque, a private museum in Luxembourg - participant