Meet Lyudmila Agrich: Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lyudmila Agrich and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lyudmila, why did you pursue a creative career?
Since I was little I always loved to draw. Over time that interest turned into pursuit of architectural profession which I thought would allow me to fully express my creative inspirations but later in life I realized that it was too technical and dry for my personality so I decided to quit architecture and dedicate my life to expressing myself on canvas.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Based on my academic education back in Ukraine I used to be more of a plain air artist. I used to paint with brush, oil, watercolor, pastel etc. Later in the United Stated, when I met Edgar Keuling, he introduced me to palette knife and I felt right away that painting with knife and oil allowed me to express my creative inspirations like never before. Since then I’ve been painting with palette knife because every stroke is unique, unpredictable and spontaneous and yet there is a degree of control and order. It’s a paradox but that’s what makes it exciting for me and produces unique results with recognizable style. After 20 years of being a professional artist I’ve learned how important it is to paint regularly whether you are inspired or not because inspiration always comes eventually. As the saying goes, river stays clean by flowing.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would start with taking my friend to mount Falcon trail for a brief hike after which we would stop by at Mirada gallery in Indian Hills where my paintings are on display. Then we would drive to Boulder for lunch at Dushanbe Tea House with beautiful ambiance. After that a pleasant stroll on Pearl street mall with street musicians and cute little shops to explore. There we would also stop at Smith Klein gallery who represent my art as well. Then a quick drive to Denver to grab some coffee and a walk from Governor to Cheesman park. To finish the day we would definitely have dinner at Watersourse on 17th St – my favorite vegetarian restaurant. Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I was very lucky because I was always surrounded by people that supported, inspired and encouraged me. I’m very thankful to Edgar Keuling, owner of former Sonyo gallery in Denver, for taking me under his wing and pushing me toward my artistic goal. Then I was part of the group of artists that open the gallery “Russian Ark” in Santa Fe art district near downtown Denver. They helped me to feel more confident about pursuing artistic career. Since 2008 I started working alone showing my art in different galleries and I owe my success to my husband who inspired and supported me by taking over all the business and organizational aspects thus allowing me to concentrate only on painting.

Website: lyudmilaagrich@gmail.com
Facebook: Lyudmila Agrich