Oma Orell Artist | Based in London, UK
Oma Orell was born in Perm, Russia, where her journey into art began early. Surrounded by museums and galleries from childhood, she held her first exhibition at age 12. Her formal training continued at the Perm School of Arts before she moved to St. Petersburg during the perestroika era.
There, she studied privately with renowned professors of the Mukhina Academy, including D.A. Shuvalov, V.G. Vlasov, E.I. Troitsky, R.P. Kuriljak, A.P. Zaitsev, V.S. Kucharovski, V.P. Petrov, and N.A. Chagalidze. To support her studies, Oma painted portraits for foreign tourists — a practice that honed her skills immensely. Over 3,000 portraits later, she remains a master of capturing the human essence, backed by her academic background in psychology.
Oma Orell is versatile in both abstract and realistic painting. Her work reflects the rich heritage of Russian art, intertwined with German and French influences, maintaining a continuous dialogue with Central European traditions. For many years, she lived and worked in Finland, where her talent was recognized by the Finnish Cultural Fund, which granted her support eight times between 1993 and 2010.
Philosophy
“Life is a gift of God.”
In all her work, Oma seeks to express warmth and joy. She believes that art should project light, happiness, and a zest for life. As Ecclesiastes says: “Truly the light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun.”
While nature is stronger than any brush, Oma strives to convey a simple message through her paintings: Life is worth living. She does not paint in a symbolic style; she paints what is seen and felt. For her, the picture is the first signal, and the word is the second. She creates art that is easy to see, whether it is a portrait or a landscape, inviting the viewer to find harmony and sunlight in everyday life.
Currently available for exhibitions and private commissions in London.