The collection of the Urazovo Local History Museum contains the painting ‘Stream in the forest’, which was painted by self-taught artist Nikolay Shelaev.
Nikolay Shelaev is a resident of the village of Printsevka, Valuyki District. He loved to draw since childhood, but chose a different profession. After graduating from the Agricultural Institute n.a. Michurin, Shelaev worked as an agronomist on a collective farm. There was practically no time left for painting.
After going on a well-deserved rest, Nikolay Shelaev returned to his hobby. Landscape became his favorite genre. Shelayev’s works are typical Russian landscapes, depicting forests and sunny meadows, forest hills and transparent streams. In his works, he often uses a yellow-green palette. Green is the color of the plant world, fertility and contentment, peace and hope. If green takes on yellow shades, approaching a yellow-green color, then this creates the impression of young, spring forces of nature — spring morning or early summer morning, hope and expectation of summer fruits.
Another direction in which Nikolay Shelaev works is still life. Sometimes he paints portraits of his fellow villagers and “those who are not afraid of their wrinkles”, as the artist himself says. The portraits are mostly done in watercolors or pastels.
Nikolay Shelaev is a resident of the village of Printsevka, Valuyki District. He loved to draw since childhood, but chose a different profession. After graduating from the Agricultural Institute n.a. Michurin, Shelaev worked as an agronomist on a collective farm. There was practically no time left for painting.
After going on a well-deserved rest, Nikolay Shelaev returned to his hobby. Landscape became his favorite genre. Shelayev’s works are typical Russian landscapes, depicting forests and sunny meadows, forest hills and transparent streams. In his works, he often uses a yellow-green palette. Green is the color of the plant world, fertility and contentment, peace and hope. If green takes on yellow shades, approaching a yellow-green color, then this creates the impression of young, spring forces of nature — spring morning or early summer morning, hope and expectation of summer fruits.
Another direction in which Nikolay Shelaev works is still life. Sometimes he paints portraits of his fellow villagers and “those who are not afraid of their wrinkles”, as the artist himself says. The portraits are mostly done in watercolors or pastels.
