Ambassador

Zhenya Gershman

Zhenya Gershman is an internationally renowned artist, art historian, educator and activist. She was the youngest ever student to be admitted to the Otis Art Institute, graduated with honors, and later received her Master of Fine Arts degree from Art Center College of Design. She currently resides, teaches, and paints between her two studios in Los Angeles and New York City.

Besides her work as an artist and a teacher, Zhenya is very passionate about art as a means to create positive social change. She launched an art movement called “Brushes Over Bullets” after her portrait “First Face of War” sold for $100,000 at Heritage Auctions to benefit Ukraine.

About Zhenya Gershman

I remember the exact moment when I became an artist when I was 10 years old. I saw a film “Mephisto” exploring the themes of an artist’s creative responsibility to society. I found it so moving that the only way I could express the overwhelming sensation was to pick up my markers and make my first drawing. Upon showing it to my mother, she exclaimed, “You’re an artist!”, and in that very instant, I recognized my calling.

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Image above: Zhenya Gershman’s first drawing, 1985.

I taught myself how to draw and paint using soft pastels. My parents bought me a set that I still have in my studio today. I was so serious and dedicated that my first solo exhibition took place in St. Petersburg when I was only 14 years old.

Determined to share the empowering encouragement of my mother, I see teaching as an artform. I founded Zhenya’s Art Academy that provides mentorship and guidance to students of various ages, helping them take their art and creativity to the next level. Incorporating the Zoom technology allows me to teach students from all over the world.

I remind my students that art is never easy, but is always worthwhile. My guiding quote is by Vincent van Gogh: “If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” Together, we ensure that our doubts are silenced and our creativity has fertile ground to blossom.

Empowering creativity

Rembrandt has always been my guiding star. His paintings are about people, and for the people. Later in his life, he was willing to risk sacrificing commercial success to stay true to his vision. Because of this, many of his students left him, and he spent his last years in poverty while being dedicated to his unique style. His honesty and ahead-of-his-time technique has immortalized his work.

Being an immigrant student on a tight budget, I couldn’t afford to use the superior Rembrandt products. One of my teachers suggested that I should save up to try at least one tube of paint. She insisted that the high quality of the material increases the quality of the art. Consequently, I got addicted to Rembrandt paint, and I insist that all of my students use the highest quality supplies.

It is ironic that the younger the student, the worse the materials are usually provided to experiment with. This builds for disappointment and disillusionment with art. One of my great passions is to help develop college portfolio submissions for young artists. Using Rembrandt oil paints increases the chance of acceptance due to much more brilliant and resonant work.

This enthusiasm for the highest-quality of expression led me to join the Rembrandt ambassador family. During the pandemic, I created a series hosted by Jeff Olson from Royal Talens North America called “Invisible Museum Tours”. We offered fourteen free 90-minute episodes exploring art throughout different museums of the world. The idea was to bring the history, understanding, making of the art all together. About 20,000 people would watch each episode, and they continue to reach a larger audience through Facebook and YouTube. My goal is to break down the art cliché that the "eyes that are the windows to the soul" and demonstrate that art itself is an opportunity for "the soul to be the window to our eyes".

Watch the full series on YouTube