Venice, Palazzo Verde (Green Palace)

“Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go.”
— Truman Capote

This painting is one of the works from my series “Venice: a box of chocolates” which started a few years ago after my first visit to Venice. I do add paintings to it once in a while when I visit this beautiful city or when I miss it especially badly.

The series is a collection of paintings and drawings that began as relatively faithful depictions of Venice, but quickly transformed into reflections on memories and emotions, both my own and those shared by others. I discovered that everyone seems to carry their own version of Venice.. It’s as if we all dream the same dream, but each of us dreams it differently.

As the series evolved, it became a kaleidoscope of personal experiences: a friend’s wedding some twenty years ago; listening to La Traviata in a private palazzo (like this painting!); sipping an early morning coffee at Caffè Florian while the rest of the family still slept; even taking part in the historical regatta. These moments, my favorites, the most vivid and significant, blurred together into a series of bright, emotional flashbacks where reality and dreams no longer had clear boundaries.

In my opinion, it’s the best city in the world. And this series is my love letter to it.

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Poetic Narratives in Oil and Charcoal

Representing a distinctive voice in contemporary Australian art, Olga Bakhtina is a Brisbane-based artist known for her evocative oil and charcoal compositions that weave together classical inspiration and modern storytelling. Her work is marked by deep historical consciousness, delicate symbolism, and an unmistakable emotional resonance.

Born in Russia and artistically shaped across three continents, Olga’s creative journey began over 15 years ago at an art school in the Sultanate of Oman, where she lived with her family for four years. Upon returning to Australia, she studied under Archibald Prize winner David Paulson, further refining her technique and expression. In 2024, she completed her academic journey with a degree in Art History from the University of Queensland, deepening her engagement with Early Renaissance art, which remains a profound source of serenity and inspiration in her practice.

Since her first solo exhibition in Oman in 2012, Olga has exhibited regularly in Australia. Her most recent solo exhibitions include:

-Inner Garden, Secret Garden, Leda Gallery, Newcastle (2022)

-Serendipity in Blue, Tiny Tree Gallery, Brisbane (2022)
Good Samaritan and Other Biblical Stories, St John’s

- Anglican Cathedral, Brisbane CBD (2023)
Olive Branch, Cathedral of St Stephen, Brisbane CBD (2023)

-Sailing to Byzantium, St John’s Anglican Cathedral, Brisbane CBD (2024)

-Garden of Hope, St Luke’s Anglican Church, Toowoomba (2024)

- Affordable Art Fair Brisbane, Brisbane (2025)

The next solo exhibition is scheduled for July-August 2025 in St John’s Anglican Cathedral, Brisbane CBD.

Olga is a multiple Australian award-winner, including the COSSAG Art Prize (2016, 2018), and accolades at the Royal Queensland Art Society for Naked Truth and Modernism (2021).

Her paintings are held in significant public and private collections, including:

The Archdiocese of Brisbane
Australian Catholic University
Rosebank College (NSW)
St Anselm Abbey, New Hampshire, USA
Numerous private collections in Australia and abroad

Olga’s works have been featured in international publications such as The Double: Identity and Difference in Art since 1900 by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., and educational materials by Cengage Learning Australia, etc.

In 2022, the Archdiocese of Brisbane’s “Art Aficionados” video series featured a special analysis of Olga’s work The Good Samaritan, presented by Archbishop Mark Coleridge, Dr Maeve Louise Heaney, and Rev Dr Tom Elich. You can Art Aficionados Episode 3 on YouTube.