Undercover Place**
by Alexander Nicolajevich Averin
Russia (1952- present)
Walk Along the Coast*
by Alexander Nicolajevich Averin
Russian 1952- present
"The main theme of Alexander Averin’s painting are genre scenes with charming Russian young ladies against blossoming meadows and gardens, shady river coasts, and sea landscapes. Plot of the paintings is filled with sincere warmth and cordial feelings towards children.
We can feel cool breath of Baltic sea, transparency of air and careless mood of children playing at coast on the paintings of the artist. We admire tame meadow colors on the bank of unknown lake and undercover places in the shadow of coastal trees. Portraits of ladies in air dresses and figures of suntanned boys underline beauty of the surrounding nature, whether it is seacoast or small rivers, or a blossoming meadow.
We can tell that "... A masterful combination of a portrait and a landscape in style "impression" is distinguishing feature of talent of the artist Alexander Averin".
Works of the artist are held in private collections in Russia, France, England, the USA, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Denmark, Japan and many other countries.
Alexander Averin's paintings could be found at art auctions in England, France and Denmark."
The above quote from the Art Russia collection, describes this artist as a painter of gardens and seas, but his art is so much more. I find the themes of families enjoying the nature around them quite appealing, especially when the women are so distinct in their long dresses and feminine hairstyles. The colors of the ladies clothing are soft, and there is a generous amount of fabric to create folds and gathers that are as natural as country that surrounds them.
I have chosen to show the paintings of this artist today because I want to have a chat about the importance of mood, dignity, structure, color, modesty and propriety in women's clothing as applied to season, occasion and location.
A great deal of the art that was painted in the 1800's which we admire and love so much was painted by men who reflected the glory of the Creation on their canvases. In these pictures the women's clothing and activities are not in discord with their surroundings of beautiful lakes and fields. Here you see paintings of a contemporary artist who paints in the style of the impressionists and the realists.
Like a perfect symphony, everything in these kinds of paintings is in harmony with nature. It is along these lines that I wish to describe the kind of clothing that is the most agreeable to women who want to enjoy the home, or just be more feminine. Without following the dictates of the current manufacturers and designers, which seem to be stuck in a time warp of spiked hair- styles and shock-value clothing, women can still find ways to dress to compliment nature and glorify God.
On a Meadow
by Alexander Nicolajevich Averin
Russian, 1952- present
The stanza of the poem "The Wind" describes the motion in this painting:
I saw you toss the kites on high
And blow the birds about the sky;
And all around I heard you pass,
Like ladies' skirts across the grass--
O wind, a-blowing all day long,
O wind, that sings so loud a song!
by Robert Louis Stevenson
Description of On A Meadow: In a beautiful meadow with a broad skyline, are two women in long dresses, probably made of cotton or other durable material, much like peasant dresses of old. The one in the white dress has a beautiful glossy raspberry red wide ribbon tying back her hair, and holds an open lace umbrella in one hand as she reaches down to clutch a handful of flowers from the grassy field. The other woman stands nearby in the same dress depicted in "Under a Covered Place." **She holds an open white umbrella behind her. The basket handle hangs over the wrist of the other hand as she surveys the beautiful view of land and flowers. Be sure to click on the picture for a closer view of the ruffles on the pink dress.
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Matthew 6:28
If God saw fit to clothe the earth is such pretty colors, is there any reason that women cannot wear pretty dresses that imitate this beauty?
The drab, unfeminine, immodest and unflattering clothing available today makes it hard to get interested in clothing. For so long, western women have been made to feel that it is too vain to wear prints or florals, crisp pastels or deep jeweled tones on interesting fabrics, or anything soft and sweet.When there seems to be nothing dignified to buy, it is easy to use jeans, t-shirts and running shoes as a woman's daily uniform.
Dressing more femininely can do other things for you besides improve your appearance. It can give you a healthy, optimistic outlook on life. It can lift your spirits considerably despite unfortunate circumstances. Most people do a better job if they are dressed well. The skies do not seem to be as cloudy if you are dressed well. Some people find it easier to be more organized at home when they take care of their appearance before tackling the day's responsibilities.
Dressing better at home can also help you to control your weight. Once you put on that pretty new cotton frock with an apron over it, you may feel more like working and creating a lovely atmosphere in your home, instead of snacking. When you wear tee shirts and stretchy type clothing, you will not notice the slightest weight-gain, but if your clothes are made of sturdy fabrics and have more structure to them, you will probably feel it when you begin to over-eat, and be inclined to check your appetite.
Sometimes it can improve posture and encourage proper breathing when the clothing is nice, fits well and is beautiful. Also if you desire a less frenzied life, you can dress to create a mood of calm control, rather than one of dashing here and there. Clothes really do make a difference that way. The clothes we wear can help us become more graceful in our movements and correct awkwardness. Girls should get used to wearing nice clothing at home when they are young, and especially learn to manage in dresses and overcome awkwardness. Wearing dresses seem to make women seem more graceful in their carriage.
Dressing more femininely can do other things for you besides improve your appearance. It can give you a healthy, optimistic outlook on life. It can lift your spirits considerably despite unfortunate circumstances. Most people do a better job if they are dressed well. The skies do not seem to be as cloudy if you are dressed well. Some people find it easier to be more organized at home when they take care of their appearance before tackling the day's responsibilities.
Dressing better at home can also help you to control your weight. Once you put on that pretty new cotton frock with an apron over it, you may feel more like working and creating a lovely atmosphere in your home, instead of snacking. When you wear tee shirts and stretchy type clothing, you will not notice the slightest weight-gain, but if your clothes are made of sturdy fabrics and have more structure to them, you will probably feel it when you begin to over-eat, and be inclined to check your appetite.
Sometimes it can improve posture and encourage proper breathing when the clothing is nice, fits well and is beautiful. Also if you desire a less frenzied life, you can dress to create a mood of calm control, rather than one of dashing here and there. Clothes really do make a difference that way. The clothes we wear can help us become more graceful in our movements and correct awkwardness. Girls should get used to wearing nice clothing at home when they are young, and especially learn to manage in dresses and overcome awkwardness. Wearing dresses seem to make women seem more graceful in their carriage.
Cornflowers
by Alexander Nicolajevich Averin
Description of Cornflowers: Two girls are picking flowers in a field of tall grasses. The young lady in the foreground has a long white, two-tiered dress, is holding long stems of cornflowers in her arm, and wears a straw hat with a beautiful, ruby-red ribbon. The other has a dusty-rose colored skirt with pretty, shaded folds, and is leaning forward to pick daisies, while holding long stems of the same in the other hand. She also has a straw hat, which displays a yellow ribbon. The sky is brightly dotted with lush white clouds, and a group of trees stand on the hill in the distance.
When you view these paintings, you naturally think of the freshness and newness of a day and the experience of a location: the beach, the river, the field, or even sitting on your own couch reading a book. Everything we do can have more meaning and be more beautiful as we imitate the Creation. The clothes we wear and the things we do have a great effect on our moods. You can set yourself up for a good mood and a good day with your choice of clothing.
Whatever you are doing --whether it be at home, or away, you can dress for it. Just look at these lovely paintings and you will see what I am talking about. Would this artist have been so inspired to paint these ladies if they were wearing modern garb? The clothing fits right in with the scenes. When you choose your fabrics, whether to sew, or in ready made clothing, think of things like this. The pretty blue skies, the lawn with the daisies dotted across it, the colorful birds in the birdbath in your yard, the ocean and the shells, and all the lovely things in a park or a wilderness. Take a trip to a fabric store and look at the cotton prints and see the imitation of nature there.
Dreaming
by Alexander Nicolajevich Averin
Russia, 1952-present
Description of Dreaming: A woman sits on the rocky sea shore looking toward the water. She holds the white cotton umbrella to shade her, and there is a light pink satin ribbon in her brown hair.She is wearing a long white dress with blue ribbon sewn on the hem and in several places on the dress. At the neckline is a matching blue bow. At her bare feet lies a white covered book and under her hand on the sand is another book, opened, that she has been reading.
It may seem as though I am always chastising young girls when addressing the subject of clothing, but older women, and especially the elderly, must show the example. Young women will not want to be mentored by older women if the older women look like men in the way they dress. The easiest way to correct this is with a dress. I am not of the "dresses only," crowd, because I realize that everything that is called a "dress" will not necessarily be modest. Instead, I am "modestly only." A woman cannot merely wear a dress and say she is modest. She must wear a modest dress that has sufficient fabric in it to cover her when she walks and sits and moves about. Too often, a young girl will protest, "But Mother, I am dressed femininely. I am wearing a dress!" Not all dresses are feminine, and not all dresses are modest, and not all dresses are appropriate.
On the Shore of the River Klyazma
by alexander nicolajevich averin
You can see in these, and other paintings of the type, how women are pictured in clothing doing outdoor things which women today claim that cannot do unless they are dressed in sports clothes that make them look more like men. It probably would not be as interesting a painting if it depicted the way women dress today.
To dress up for the day at home, consider the mood of the day, whether it be cloudy or sunny. Some women are what I call "mood dressers," because they will feel like wearing yellow, or feel like wearing blue. When they go to the beach they want to wear something with a nautical design on it, just like the girl in one of these paintings.
Dressing femininely can set the tone of your day, and if you also wear feminine aprons, you can protect your dress from the soil of cooking and gardening and cleaning. Co-ordinating aprons can be part of the outfit, which you remove when you have company or have to go somewhere.
Launching small ships
by alexander nicolajevich averin
Time for Flowerings
by alexander nicolajevich averin
Description of Time for Flowerings: In a beautiful park, a lady dressed in white sits on a chair with her paint box opened while she prepares to paint a another lady who is standing on the paved pathway. The subject is wearing a pink dress with a ruffled underskirt, wears a white hat surrounded by white and pink roses, and holds open an aqua-blue umbrella trimmed in white ruffled lace around the edge. Beside the painter sits her folded yellow umbrella which is also trimmed in wide white lace. Shadows of the two women lay across the pathway and both women are surrounded by the lovely flowering bushes of the garden. The painter has a white bow at the back of her head, and her brown hair seems to be coiled up in a roll around the back. She is wearing a white pearl necklace and elbow-length sleeves have a gathered ruffle on them which cover her forearm.
Saying Goodbye to the Day
by alexander nicolajevich averin
Description of Saying Goodbye to the Day: This could be any scene on just about any beach today, except for the clothing of the women, for in the background is a silver sheen on the water as the sun begins to wane. The sea is calm and a sailboat lies on the edge between the ocean and the sky. Two girls are sitting on a blanket spread on a pebbled shore, and beyond them are large rocks resting in the sea. One girl, barefoot and wearing a blue blouse and white skirt, is reading a book while the remaining sun is shining on the pages and on the back of her neck. Her light brown hair is tied in a coral pink wide satin ribbon. Her companion is simply looking at the boat in the distance. She has a light brown, ruffled skirt and a matching hat, with a white poet-style blouse and on her hair sits a white bow.
and when you click on a painting, it will bring up a much larger view which will interest you further. Beneath each painting is a place where you can click to send an e-card of the painting. The artist lives in Russia.
If you sew, check out some of the cotton fabrics suitable for dresses for the home, online.
**Description of Undercover Place: If you will click on the painting and get a larger view, you can see young woman sitting in a sea-blue painted wooden skiff (dingy, boat, or other names apply), dressed in a longish pink dress, her hair pulled back in a yellow ribbon. The oars are resting inside the boat as she trails her hand into the water. She holds a white cotton umbrella edged in lace, as the boat floats under a weeping willow tree. She has light brown hair, and is looking into the water. As you will see in the other paintings, this artist likes "a ribbon in her hair!"
*Description of "A Walk Along the Coast: In the scene is a distant light-aqua blue sky on which white gulls fly about. Curling little waves coated in foam are coming toward the flat, sandy beach, where a woman holds her white skirts above her ankles so that her bare feet can feel the water. She is holding the white umbrella that has the cut work lace trim on it, and with her are a boy and a girl who are occupied with the waves. The woman has a yellow bow atop her long, thick braid of hair. It looks like a warm, clear but slightly windy day.
If you sew, check out some of the cotton fabrics suitable for dresses for the home, online.
**Description of Undercover Place: If you will click on the painting and get a larger view, you can see young woman sitting in a sea-blue painted wooden skiff (dingy, boat, or other names apply), dressed in a longish pink dress, her hair pulled back in a yellow ribbon. The oars are resting inside the boat as she trails her hand into the water. She holds a white cotton umbrella edged in lace, as the boat floats under a weeping willow tree. She has light brown hair, and is looking into the water. As you will see in the other paintings, this artist likes "a ribbon in her hair!"
*Description of "A Walk Along the Coast: In the scene is a distant light-aqua blue sky on which white gulls fly about. Curling little waves coated in foam are coming toward the flat, sandy beach, where a woman holds her white skirts above her ankles so that her bare feet can feel the water. She is holding the white umbrella that has the cut work lace trim on it, and with her are a boy and a girl who are occupied with the waves. The woman has a yellow bow atop her long, thick braid of hair. It looks like a warm, clear but slightly windy day.
I hope this gives you some inspiration and ideas for dressing in a way that reflects the beauty of the Creation. Be sure to check the comments for additional information. Find creative ideas for clothing by observing the elements of different seasons and occasions, as well as distant scenery. Treat every day as a special occasion and every detail of life with beauty.
The clothing in these paintings is reminiscent of the clothing of the 1800's, however, it is more like the designs that were so prominent and popular in the 1980's, for which you can still obtain patterns. If you are a sewer and cannot find patterns like this, just try making one pattern in several different versions, using sleeve variations and different trims. Or, buy a costume pattern and modernize it for today's use by make the sleeves and skirt a little less full and more walkable with a slightly shorter hem, above the ankles. There are many ways to turn the trends of the modern daily wear. If only one woman wore a nice dress every day it would influence several more women to do the same. A better life begins with you!
We are so blessed to be living in this day and age, because there is so much history to look back on. In the area of clothing, we can look at the fabrics and the styles of the past and choose the things we like for today's styles.
Although the artist portrayed in this post is living today, he has successfully painted beautiful scenery with women dressed to compliment it. Nothing in his paintings seem out of order. There is a cleanness and a gracefulness in them, without being flat. Even the water seems to move in the wind, and the flowers bow in the breeze.
I showcased these paintings because they portray women in the outdoors, doing relaxing and refreshing, re-creational things that do no harm to the body or soul. The descriptions I gave of each painting are for those who are using braille keyboards that do not pick up the pictures, but they will cause you to look more carefully at the painting and get the mood of it.
Here's some old film footage at the end of the Victorian period,of people in a street in San Francisco. Notice how easily the women walk, (not with tiny steps, either), and how they catch the trolleys and their general confidence in their clothing. Notice how easy it is to tell the women from the men, from their clothing. The women dressed very femininely while the men dressed masculinely.
You can go here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oubsaFBUcTc&NR=1 to read some of the comments on this film, particularly the ones that noted how respectful everyone seemed.
