Anton Pavlenko
Last fall at the Sonoma Plein Air Festival, oil painter Anton Pavlenko won the Guerrilla Painter award. He will be participating in these events in 2014.
"I enjoy using bold colors, various textures and unique perspectives in my work. A common compliment I hear from my art collectors is that they experience pure joy when looking at my paintings. To me, that’s one of the greatest compliments I can receive about
my work. It means that my paintings connect with people and find a place in their hearts."
Born in Ukraine, he came to the US with his family when he was five years old, and they settled in Oregon.
"I am grateful for the unique way my father encouraged me to continue developing my art skills. Instead of earning an allowance like most kids my age, I earned a couple dollars by selling my drawings and 
colored sketches to my dad. Once I finished a piece, he would appraise it and offer to pay me what he thought it was worth. If I wanted to earn more money, all I had to do was work harder at creating a masterpiece that would really impress him. As a kid, I was excited to know that my artwork had some real value and worth."
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