Nearly every catalog of childhood memories includes an afternoon or two spent staring at the sky scouting clouds for familiar shapes like trains and tugboats, horses and hounds. In the moment, the experience stokes our imaginations; and in the years to come, the memory of that experience -- often made in the company of siblings and parents -- warms our hearts. A similar sense of whimsical wonder and delight washed over me when I opened an e-mail from my business partner Juliana featuring the artwork of Vladimir Kush.
As I scrolled through Kush's collection, the corners of my mouth curled up and I felt happy. The Russian-born artist's canvases marry childlike perspective and advanced technical skill, and the plain-to-see detail and dimension are counterbalanced nicely by lightness and inspiration. Although the compositions are full-fledged fantasy, they somehow make perfect sense to me: Jesus, the light of the world, depicted as a sunflower in "The Last Supper"; gladiolas as sails in "Arrival of a Ship"; and melon-colored roses as a strawberry-blond coiffure embellished by a daisy in "Daisy Games." Oh, and one of my other favorites: A tree stump serving as a record player and the beak of a bird as the needle in "Music in the Woods."
As adults, we seldom take time to lie on the lawn and comb the sky for everyday objects. But it takes only a moment at your computer to take in Kush's collection for an analogous effect. Warning: Your imagination will be stirred, the corners of your mouth may curl, and happiness is a real possibility. ~ A.F.
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