Born in Soviet Union (republic of Ukraine), Zhenya Ampleyev’s journey as an artist kicked off on a Navy ship in the Barents Sea, where he was asked to paint a Navy officer’s dining room as a sea bottom, including all the walls, the floor, and the ceiling. His journey continued with painting classes in Southern Idaho, and formal education at Spokane Falls Community College, Eastern Washington University (BFA), and the University of New Orleans (MFA). Workshops in icon painting and watercolor further shaped his skills and fifteen years of truck driving across America offered him time for self-discovery and unique experiences.
Artist Statement
“The question of ‘who am I’ has led me to an imaginary experience of reaching inside my body and getting a hold of my spine; tangible evidence of belonging to life. An old Slavic proverb, ‘Go there, don’t know where, find that, don’t know what,’ guides my intuitive creative process as I embrace possibilities. In this show, the nose symbolizes knowing, and the bone represents an invisible essence. One discovery leads to another, and I go with what resonates. Painting is both a process and a journey. Boneynose knows.” – Zhenya Ampleyev