- Olivia Brooks
- Oct 23
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 30
Olga Nenazhivina
Life Story
Sumi Ink on Paper (dip-pen technique)
22.5 x 27.75 in
Cat & Elf
Sumi Ink on Paper (dip-pen technique)
77.5 x 11 in
The Soul
Sumi Ink on Paper (dip-pen technique)
17 x 14 in
Two Figures
Sumi Ink on Paper (dip-pen technique)
40 x 30 in
The Ground
Sumi Ink on Paper (dip-pen technique)
4 x 30 in
Field of Joy
Sumi Ink on Paper (dip-pen technique)
12 x 7 in
Traveling Through the Pages of Books
Sumi Ink on Paper (dip-pen technique)
12 x 9 in
SEAquinn II
Sumi Ink on Paper (dip-pen technique)
5 x 5 in
"My drawings are compact worlds of carefully orchestrated line and form. Though I work in various media, ink and paper have become my most trusted companions. Each sheet of paper carries its own rhythm and history — grain, texture, subtle tonal shifts. I begin by simply opening myself to the surface, allowing its unique qualities to guide my first marks. With regular pens, the line remains uniform, but when I employ a dip pen, it glides, meanders, and asserts itself. Then, in an almost meditative flow, human figures, masks, ornamental motifs, marine and botanical shapes emerge, merging into an intricate yet intuitive interplay of imagery.
I liken my process to a conversation — the paper speaks in soft irregularities, the ink responds in fluid lines. This quiet call-and-response builds layer upon layer, forging a delicate balance between precision and improvisation. I do not force a narrative; rather, I coax it from an inner reservoir of experiences and emotions, shaped by daily life, memories, and fleeting impressions. The resulting compositions — sometimes dense, sometimes spacious — feel edgy, mysterious, and emotionally resonant, reflecting an evolving vision that I refer to as my ongoing Chronicle.
Growing up in Vladivostok, a city uniquely positioned at the crossroads of East and West and surrounded by the rich cultural tapestries of neighboring Asian countries, has indelibly influenced my work. This environment nurtured a fusion of Eastern and Western cultures, a synthesis that echoes throughout my drawings and infuses them with a dynamic, cross-cultural energy.
My passion for drawing began in early childhood, nurtured by an artistic lineage. My mother, an art enthusiast, ensured creativity was woven into every corner of our home. My father, Valery Nenazhivin — a Merited Artist of Russia renowned for creating the first sculpture of Osip Mandelstam, an influential 20th-century Russian poet with Jewish heritage — taught me the importance of pushing boundaries, even in times when art faced great challenges. From them, I learned the essentials of composition, discipline, and the courage to explore. Over time, the gesture of drawing became both a ritual and a necessity, a means to translate the pulse of life onto paper.
For over twenty years, I have lived and worked in the United States, where I continue to refine my visual language, seeking ever more fervent connections between ink, paper, and the ever-shifting forces that define our humanity."
OLGA NENAZHIVINA is a Russian American artist originally from Saratov in southern Russia. In the 1970s, her family moved to Vladivostok, near the borders of China and Japan. In 1985, she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Vladivostok College for Arts. Since then, her work has been exhibited extensively both domestically and internationally. She currently lives and works in the United States.