A Sense of Playfulness

Alexandra Averbach was the Grand Prize Winner in International Artist magazine’s Challenge No. 129, Still Life.

The still life paintings of Alexandra Averbach burst from the canvas. Characterized by crisp color and bright light against simplified backdrops, her artwork exudes life and exuberance, despite the inanimation of much of her subject matter. And even so, when Averbach captures items like teacups or bowls of fruit, often the items seem to be in midmotion, teetering on the edge of falling over, as if they have a life of their own. Mosaic, oil on canvas, 26 x 32"

Still, oil on canvas, 26 x 18"Born in Moscow, Russia, Averbach moved to the United States as a child. “I am fortunate to have parents who supported my desire to create, and art has been an important part of my life from an early age. I cannot remember a time when I was not drawing and painting,” she says. After receiving a masters degree in art history, focusing on 17th-century Dutch/Flemish art, she began pursuing a career as a professional painter, and has been exhibiting professionally since 2013.Jolly, oil on canvas, 22 x 20"

Her square composition, Embrace, features a highly glossy red bowl filled with dahlias. The almost mirror-like sheen of the vessel contrasts pleasantly with the white and gray gradient background. “I was very inspired to paint the rich colors of these dahlia flowers. They are such a beautiful representation of summer. I placed them in a bright red bowl for an eye-popping painting, full of saturation and vivacity,” says Averbach. Embrace, oil on canvas, 28 x 28"

Elation, oil on canvas, 24 x 44"

In another recent piece titled Tipsy, two tea cups and their accompanying saucers sit atop one another, the top most cup overflowing with grapes. She says, “In this teacup painting I wanted to capture a moment in time. The grapes are precariously balanced atop the teacups, about to fall. It took many tries to achieve this setup, and I believe it adds a bit of playfulness to the painting.” Tipsy, oil on canvas, 32 x 30"

Florals are another common subject for the artist, which she captures in vases, on plates, in bright gingham buckets and more.

Averbach’s artwork is in several private collections in the United States and abroad. She currently lives with her husband and sons in New York City. —