Renaissance Western Art

You might describe Colorado artists Olga and Aleksey Ivanov as contemporary Western art pioneers. Why? Because their partnership, medium, and technique stand out among Western artists.

Their creativity is formed by intuition and collaboration—they paint together on the same canvas—storytelling, whimsy, symbolism, and a Renaissance art technique. Their harmonious paintings could be called the artistic equivalent of perfect pitch. “We are using one of the oldest techniques,” Olga says. “We are modern artists trying to connect the old medium to the modern vision of the West.”

Vivid colors are the hallmark of the couple’s art—the result of using the ancient medium of egg tempera. “Egg tempera is the mother of all painting techniques,” Aleksey says. “It was invented by humans long before oil. It’s very simple: egg yolk, vinegar, and pigment. The artist mixes it together and delivers it to the canvas. Renaissance guys, like Botticelli, started using this medium and had fantastic achievements.”

Read the full article in the November/December 2025 issue.