ALEKSANDRA RDEST

×

Expand

"Heavy With Reassurance"

Aleksandra Rdest, "Heavy With Reassurance," acrylic on canvas, on panel 48" x 40".

ALEKSANDRA RDEST

Studied: Ontario College of Art & Design, 2002

Lives/Works: Toronto

Price Range: $1,500 - $8,000

Deborah Boileau opened Sopa Fine Arts in Kelowna in 2004 with a strong roster of contemporary artists that attracts clients from all over the world. In recent years she has noticed people are qualifying their art purchases more, rather than acting on impulse. Now, she says, clients are asking ‘what is this artist doing to ensure my painting will hold its value?’ Good question. They’re asking to look at previous bodies of work, the artist’s resume, and they want to see a strong commitment to their craft. More people want to live with a painting first, as opposed to buying straight off the wall.

One artist she recommends without hesitation is Aleksandra Rdest who has been exhibiting at SOPA since 2008. Rdest was shortlisted for the RBC Painting Competition that same year and was also chosen among the top “Emerging Artists” in Magenta Publishing’s nationwide survey book, Carte Blanche, Vol. 2: Painting. Her work has been shown across Canada as well as in Chicago and Japan and is found in both corporate and private collections. Boileau describes Rdest’s work as having “…a fresh, vibrant look that feels at once revolutionary, yet with solid roots in lyrical abstraction. Her canvases have fabulous bursts of color, carefully built up in layers that create veils of paint, which practically sing on the wall.”

In wine-growing Kelowna, Boileau often uses a wine analogy when advising new collectors: “Develop your visual palette over time much like your wine palate. Become exposed to more complex and sophisticated varieties. I often meet art collectors who tell me they’ve outgrown their early art pieces.”