Plein Air: St Petersburg

2021, November - early 2023

2021, January - May

2021, November - early 2023

After spending a few months back in Singapore, I built a new box and returned to St. Petersburg once again, this time as a student of Repin academy. It was an arduous journey, fraught with difficulties. But my determination has only increased to work even harder.

This section is under construction. For latest updates, check out my Instagram page: @samchen.art especially under the stories section titled "Plein air".

New Year's Eve. 2022.

Oil on canvas panel, 24 x 12 cm (on 24 x 18 cm panel) Sold

A little bit of sad nostalgia here, this was probably the last etude I did in St Petersburg before coming home to Sg. Painted on a cold and dark New Year's Eve, watching families gathering in their small apartments for the celebrations.

An alley at vasilievsky garden. 2022.

Oil on canvas panel, 24 x 18cm (including margins)

Not for sale, artist's collection

Still one of my favourites. Every time I look at it I am brought back to that bittersweet summer of that year. It has a "paired" piece which shows the same view at night, but I lost the image.

Sold

Private collection

Sold

Gifted to my kommunalka neighbour

In private collection

2021, January - May

In the winter of 2020-2021, I spent the new year break constructing my own plein air box. Proudly finishing it off with metal hinges, and armed with a camping stool, crummy workman's gloves, and my oil paints, I braved temperatures of up to -29C. Here are some of the better attempts from this period. Painting outdoors has not only sharpened my observation skills, but also taught me expediency and discipline in my painting process.

First sketch of January: Ice sheet on the river | 2021 | Oil on canvas panel | 18 x 24 cm | Sold

Near the Lenin monument | 2021 | Oil on canvas panel | 18 x 24 cm | Sold

Frozen canal by New Holland | 2021 | Oil on canvas panel | 24 x 18 cm | Sold

Behind Monument to Rimsky Korsakov | 2021 | Oil on canvas panel | 18 x 24 cm | Private collection

By the Neva (Spring time) | 2021 | Oil on canvas panel | 18 x 24 cm

Rainy day by the Neva | 2021 | Oil on canvas panel | 24 x 18 cm

Petersburg courtyard arch | 2021 | Oil on canvas | 18 x 24 cm | Not for sale

Outside my window | 2021 | Oil on hardboard | 21 x 15 cm | Sold

Blue hour: Entrance to my home | 2021 | Oil on canvas panel | 24 x 18 cm | Private collection

Strong sunlight on snow | 2021 | Oil on canvas panel | 18 x 24 cm | Sold

Entrance to a building | 2021 | Oil on canvas panel | 18 x 24 cm | Sold

Roof opposite my house | 2021 | Oil on hardboard | 15 x 21 cm | Private collection

Last day of spring | 2021 | Oil on canvas panel | 18 x 24 cm | Sold

Morning by the Neva | 2021 | Oil on canvas | 18 x 24 cm

Overcast spring day | 2021 | Oil on canvas panel | 18 x 24 cm | Sold

Submarine museum | 2021 | Oil on canvas panel | 18 x 24 cm | Sold

Outside my home | 2021 | Oil on canvas panel | 24 x 18 cm | Sold

Here you can see my handmade painting box in action. The lid is just held open by tying a toilet roll behind the hinge. It is not very sturdy, but very lightweight. Here I am painting a study just below my kommunalka apartment. It was a very cold morning, and I only lasted 30 minutes before my neighbour opened the door for me to come in.