Ekaterina Efimova

You mention being inspired by miniature illustrations and childhood fairy-tale books. Could you share how these memories continue to influence your work today?

I still feel the direct influence of fairy tales on my work. In my paintings, I depict familiar scenes in fairytale colors. Fictional characters, even if they appear as subjects in the paintings, could easily be encountered in real life. The fairytale atmosphere is achieved primarily through shades and color combinations, and the rendering of light and shadow, which in reality are often more scanty and primitive. My paintings – are fantasy interpretations of reality without overtly fairytale elements.

Ekaterina Efimova | Fog | 2025

What draws you to oil and tempera as your primary mediums, and how do they help convey a sense of magic and nostalgia?

I’ve always preferred oil, but I don’t think the oil paint itself is what helps convey a particular atmosphere. Rather, it’s the technique used to work with it.

Ekaterina Efimova | From the City to Zarechye | 2024

Many of your paintings capture quiet, poetic moments in nature and everyday life. What stories or emotions do you hope viewers will discover in these details?

As I mentioned earlier, I classify my paintings as “fantasy interpretations of reality without overtly fairytale elements”. Such subjects, I believe, evoke feelings of both lightness and mystery, evoke memories of childhood, when the world was unknown, surprising, and full of discovery for everyone.

Ekaterina Efimova | The Traveler | 2023

The idea of “seeing the world through the eyes of an inner child” is central to your statement. How do you nurture that childlike perspective while creating art?

I never paint when I’m in a bad mood. I believe the artist transfers their energy into the painting. Because of this, a work can sometimes be untouched for a month or two because the mood isn’t right, the inspiration isn’t there, and I don’t feel the inner lightness and peace. For me, creativity — is much more than just a regular work.

Ekaterina Efimova | Red Panama | 2025

Your works often carry a fantasy-like atmosphere. Is this more about personal memories, imagined worlds, or both?

I think it’s related to my feelings about the place or the subject of the painting. Close examination of an object allows one to see beyond the obvious. This applies to color, detail, and the meaning itself. Therefore, I would say that if the painting is a reference to the past, then the fairy-tale atmosphere in it is definitely connected with personal memories, distorted, in a good sense, by imagination, which is reinforced by impressions.

Do you usually paint from life, photographs, or imagination? How does each approach influence the final result?

It’s often a mix. The sketch is usually from life, the details are partly from my own photos, and partly they are a figment of my imagination.

Ekaterina Efimova | The Lights Turned On | 2024

Which part of creating a painting excites you the most: sketching, layering colors, or adding the final small details?

Detailing is definitely my favorite part of work. For me, it’s like meditation I completely immerse myself in the process and can spend hours with a brush in my hand.