Art Spy: Valentin Popov, finding fine art in Montclair

Art Spy was out doing their regular job and stumbled across a true fine artist living in Montclair, Valentin Popov.

Actually, let me be a little more honest, I have known about Valentin’s work for a number of years and imagine my pleasure when I found out my close acquaintance was that Valentin Popov. I quickly finagled an invitation to tea at his house to sit down with him, look at some of the work he is doing for his new show, 100 Portraits, and talk to him a little about his last show, “Face”, a precursor to 100 Portraits, and get a chance to see some of pictures from “In the Water”.

A little background about Valentin, click here for a more comprehensive bio, he is from Kiev, in the former Soviet Republic. His father was a fine artist and teacher at the Kiev State School of Art, which, in addition to what is now the Academy of Fine Art of Ukraine, Valentin got comprehensive training in all aspects of art from painting, etching, collage, to printing and framing. He came to the US and ended up in Berkeley, which is where he fell in love with the area that he in today.

Valentin has had success after success and is critically acclaimed as a fine artist. So that being said my questions to him were a tiny bit more mundane than most of the interviewers he has met before. My favorite and most relevant question and answer is below. Parenthetically, try and figure out why I think it is a good question?

AS, “How do you know when to stop, when you are finished?”

VP, “That’s a good question. I don’t know, it’s a feeling. When it is done it is done and it rests. I go back to look at it and maybe make an adjustment. But it is a feeling.” Throws hands up, question answered.

His website, www.popov.com is a definite must see. It shows and tells about Valentin in a way that I could not hope to articulate. Check out his then and now pages for a spectacular retrospective of the artist’s work and progression over the years.

He also has a book, “Popov”, which he so kindly gave me a copy of, out from the Modernism Press.

The work and the artist are covered in depth in a number of places so I can only give you the readers some of my personal experience from my visit.

Valentin is an extremely interesting and warm person. He reeks of talent and makes a great cup of Earl Grey. His work is available and runs on average from $10,000.00 to $50,000.00 per piece. He also is available for commissioned work—I wish I could afford to get him to paint my portrait but would have to take a second on my house.

I feel very lucky to be able to write about this local artist.

Remember art is alive and thriving in Alameda County. Have a tip for Art Spy please send to artspy510@gmail.com I will bring art to light.