Ambassador

Zhenya Gershman

Zhenya Gershman is an internationally renowned artist, art historian, educator and activist. She was the youngest student to ever 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 fight war. She set up an art movement called “Brushes Over Bullets”, after Gershman’s portrait “First Face of War” (based on the iconic photograph by Wolfgang Schwan of a 52-year old Ukrainian wounded school teacher). It was sold for $100.000 at the Heritage Auctions to benefit Ukraine. “Artists are very powerful and have the ability to make the right choices to do good.”

About Zhenya Gershman

What moved me to become an artist? Empathy for people. Ever since I was 10 years old. As a young child, the film ‘Manifesto’ really inspired me. It moved me so much. I felt like I was going to die unless I did something about it. So, I picked up my markers and created a demon flying. I felt so much better after expressing myself. I showed it to my mum, and she said, ‘You’re an artist!’ and I have been since that day.

thumbnail_IMG_1592 (1).jpg

I learned to paint by creating with pastels first. My parents bought a box of soft pastels. I tried to make them look like oil paint. My first solo exhibition was when I was only 14 years old in St. Petersburg.

Teaching is my passion and it’s an artform. I cried for a few days when the pandemic started. I realized I had to go online. My teenage daughter, who was 12 at the time, installed everything for me. My school grew because everybody around the world could join. I want to open the future for my students.

When I talk to my students, I tell them there are three components. The first one being empathy and release. Secondly, you need an audience. Thirdly, you need someone to acknowledge it. I love to empower people. Even if they don’t create, they may be artists. It’s a way of living, it’s a way of feeling. A way of being.

My students sometimes get nervous: “why am I making this art?” You always make art for someone, but that someone may not been born yet. It may change someone’s life in 3 centuries. As a painter I can wait. If I can save or help only one person’s life by creating art I will be thrilled. You don’t know what the impact of your work will be. All you know is that it someday will make a difference.

Empowering creativity

My obsession through life is Rembrandt. His paintings are about people and for the people. Rembrandt was willing to sacrifice commercial success to stay true to his vision. His students left him, and he spent most of his life in poverty. All to stay true to his vision of what art should be. This is what I find amazing. He understood the sacrifice he was making.

When I was a student, poor and an immigrant, I couldn’t afford to use Rembrandt products, but my teacher really pushed me to use them. She said that you can’t be a good artist if you use low-quality products. Just get one tube, she said. I got addicted after that. I’ve got my own private school with 39 students, and I make everybody buy Rembrandt, because high-quality materials help you be a good artist.

I believe it’s criminal to expect someone to be talented when they use bad materials. To become a professional artist, building a portfolio requires good materials. It changes the way you look at an artwork. If you’re not using the right material, it’s not going to look the same. Why is it that in kindergarten we give children the worst materials? I’d say give them the best. We need to show them how magical they are.

Because of my passionate use of Rembrandt products, it was one of my students that applied to me for the ambassadorship. That’s how I became part of the Rembrandt family. During the pandemic I did a series with Jeff Olson from Royal Talens North America called the “Invisible Museum Tours”. We did 14 episodes talking about art throughout different museums. The idea was to bring the history, understanding & making of the art all together. We reached thousands of people, about 20.000 people would watch each episode.

Watch the full series on YouTube