ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT 42
ON THE ARTS MAP
LANA ARKHI :
SHE MAKES THE WORLD A BRIGHTER PLACE
WORDS BY ANDREW CARTER
Lana Arkhi is a world-famous ceramic artist whose work has been exhibited in galleries from Moscow to Chicago and has appeared in the pages of House & Garden and Vogue . Specialising in striking cobalt blue porcelain , Lana ’ s individually crafted pieces feature breathtakingly vivid interplays of light and dark tones to present unique insights and new sides of ordinary objects .
Her miniature ceramic figures and buildings have great charm and humour and they are painted with painstaking detail , and she herself confesses that : “ I can sit for hours painting tiny details . I can keep an idea in my head for months and then realise it at the most unpredictable moment .”
Whatever the source of her potent creative magic , her skilful modelling and masterly brushwork have transformed mice , hedgehogs , owls and what would otherwise be plain ordinary household utensils into exquisite works of art , which reward close attention with ever-greater levels of intricacy and craftsmanship .
However , many of Lana ’ s earliest works were on a far grander scale – including whole-building murals – and today her artistic repertoire includes not only porcelain and ceramics , but artworks in acrylic and watercolour , including her stunningly unique ‘ Leopard ’, featured in the pages of Tatler magazine .
In 2015 , Lana opened her own Kent Talents Art Studio & Gallery in Broadstairs , which enabled her to devote her time and skills to being a full-time artist and art tutor . Many of her works have subsequently been sold to private collections across the world .
In 2017 , she was elected as a Member of the Royal Society of Miniature Painters , Sculptors & Gravers , receiving an award for the Most
Outstanding Sculptors ’ & Gravers ’ work at the RMS Exhibition 2017 ; she then went on to receive the People ’ s Choice Award in 2018 , with her work repeatedly featuring in London ’ s Mall Galleries .
In conversation , Lana ’ s irrepressible enthusiasm and engaging charisma are compelling motivators for her growing number of young protégés : “ Art helps build self-esteem , which is very important in life . Art helps to express your feelings and share your ideas with the world . I say to my students that every person is talented , you just need the time to discover your talent and the bravery to exhibit it .”
You can see Lana ’ s beautiful artwork at the Royal Miniature Society ’ s Exhibition 2024 from 26 June - 6 July 2024 at Bankside Gallery , 48 Hopton St , London SE1 9JH .
www . lanaarkhi . com
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