A weekend of blinding white snow didn’t slow down New York City. I lie awake each night, unable to quiet my thoughts and drift to sleep. One of those evenings, I wrote to Olga and asked her to tell me a story about her tranquil White Room.
Olga Inoue is an artist and blogger based in Saint Petersburg. When I first encountered her work, I was drawn to the way she collected leaves, stones, and flowers to make tiny wearable jewelry and sculpture. Perhaps inspired by her background as a montessori teacher, Olga often makes watercolor paintings of delicate animals and young figures on solitary adventures. Her blog is full of daily life still shots and observations that read like poetry. Her answers to my questions were just as full of poetic details.
Come, take a break with Olga in her White Room:
“As long as I remember, collecting was an essential part of life.
When I was three, I had this big elephant tote with me all the time
for colored glass, pebbles, and screws. Since then, nothing has changed.
It only got bigger with my experience teaching in montessori school,
where small things mean a lot and details are so important.”
“I love to start my day in silence, get things ready for orders and letters,
set up drawing supplies, and then I turn on some music, loud enough just
to hear it. And this new day itself is what makes me feel creative.
Sometimes I do not even have breakfast, only a glass of water, because
all the ideas and thoughts feed me fully.”
“We moved a lot for the last three years.
Near my table, I stand there and put small parts together.
I think this table is like a home to me.”
Goodnight, moon! I think I’ll sleep well tonight…
* All images by Olga
16 Comments
Vivika Vain
February 12, 2013 at 4:06 amAmazing cards, awesome work.
catarina
February 12, 2013 at 6:42 amso so beautiful! thank you for sharing 🙂
Lucy
February 12, 2013 at 6:52 amHonestly so beautiful. The little wooden house necklace is just so simple but so eye catching.
Sewon
February 16, 2013 at 10:18 amI really love her wooden works, too! 🙂
olga
February 12, 2013 at 3:12 pmdear sewon, once again
thank you for sharing my
small works with your readers,
)
kelly zarb
February 12, 2013 at 5:07 pmThanks Sewon for introducing us to Olga’s delicate work its so beautiful.
Winnie
February 12, 2013 at 5:33 pmWow, her jewellery is so delicate and gorgeous. I love those watercolours too and that peek into her little work staton.
Crystal
February 12, 2013 at 10:23 pmThe images and words are so beautiful! Thanks for introducing me to Olga’s work.
Rina
February 13, 2013 at 2:00 pmSewon I’m glad that nasty storm did not cause you any discomfort.
Of course, I think New Yorkers are much more tougher than me. So, of course you were just fine!
Oh, Ms. Olga’s blog is indeed as lovely and poetic as you said. I very much enjoyed that mini interview,
thank you Sewon.
♥
Krys
February 14, 2013 at 4:17 amAwesome! Thanks for sharing more artwork…it’s the food for the eyes at this hour, really xx
ねこちゃん
February 14, 2013 at 3:01 pmlove the pictures and the illustration of the little girl at the end is so cute! it reminds me of some of my childhood books (:
Katie
February 14, 2013 at 6:46 pmAll your photos are so pretty! Really love the mood!
Dayna
February 15, 2013 at 5:14 pmso much pretty ♥
WSAKE
February 17, 2013 at 12:16 pmshe is so wonderful, ich love her work! her cards and drawings and little things are so beautiful und such an inspiration. i really cherish everything i got from her…
thank you for this post!
Amelia
February 17, 2013 at 1:20 pmThese photos, much like the jewelry highlighted, have such a delicacy to them.
I really enjoy seeing little photos of people working, it’s so lovely.
Ceri
February 17, 2013 at 11:52 pmGod, I never get tired of looking at your photographs, Sewon. Especially when you take such beautiful shots of such beautiful art.