Personal Life
Leonid Afremov is a well known Russian-Israeli modern artist. Whom was born to his Jewish parents Bella and Arkadiy Afremov on July 12th 1955, in Vitebsk Belarus -formerly known as The Union of Soviet Socialists Republic(USSR). Leonid was born in the same city as Marc Chagall, who eventually grew to be a role model to Leonid. Leonid's father was a shoemaker and designer, while his mother worked in a metal factory in town.
Growning up his parents and grandparents spoke Yiddish at home even with the government anti-semitism. They risked being imprisoned to practice their religion, traditions and speaking their language.
In school he was interested in history and art. He would sit in on all the art classes he could that were offered in the school. He even received private lessons from private artists. When his parents recognized his talent, they encouraged him to continue and develop.
At the age of fourteen he was exposed to extreme cold which proceeded to cause kidney damage, later on that kidney damage emerged into hypertension(when a person has an abnormally high blood pressure), which he still sustains today.
After he graduated from high school with honors in 1983. He was accepted into the Vitebsk Education Institute, where he studied the arts and graphics department. While he was attending university, he was introduced to the works of Marc Chagall, Picasso, Modigliani, Dali and the 19th century French Impressionism. Most of his earlier works were inspired and influenced by Chagall and Mongolian. Leonid engaged in diverse school expeditions and he even sold some paintings. In 1978 he graduated as one of the elite members from Vitebsk Art School. Once he graduated he started private lessons with Marc Chagall, a local famous painter. Afremov meet his wife to be in 1975, Inessa Kagan. They got married a year later, during that year Inessa delivered their first son; Dmitri. They lived in a two room apartment with Inessa's parents and her sister. After Leonid graduated from university they bought their own home in 1982.
During the chilly winter, he stayed at home and painted because he was not allowed to participate in government expeditions or become a member of the local art program because of his Jewish roots.
In 1984, they had a second son; Boris. In 1986 when the Chernobyl disaster happened a few hundred kilometers away from Vitebsk, the effects were evident in the area. Damage was caused through rain and wind. Over the next fer years the effects worsened, crops and water became contaminated with the radioactive fallout. Small and young children were being being strongly affected, this included Leonid's two year old on. During this time he was also receiving discrimination because of his heritage.
In 1990 when the he became fed up with the anti-semitism and the worsening effects, that when the government let the Jewish Soviet Citizens migrate to Israel in the late 1980s. Leonid decided to migrate as soon as he had the chance. On May 17th 1990 they arrived in Israel. They had to give up their Soviet citizenship.
Growning up his parents and grandparents spoke Yiddish at home even with the government anti-semitism. They risked being imprisoned to practice their religion, traditions and speaking their language.
In school he was interested in history and art. He would sit in on all the art classes he could that were offered in the school. He even received private lessons from private artists. When his parents recognized his talent, they encouraged him to continue and develop.
At the age of fourteen he was exposed to extreme cold which proceeded to cause kidney damage, later on that kidney damage emerged into hypertension(when a person has an abnormally high blood pressure), which he still sustains today.
After he graduated from high school with honors in 1983. He was accepted into the Vitebsk Education Institute, where he studied the arts and graphics department. While he was attending university, he was introduced to the works of Marc Chagall, Picasso, Modigliani, Dali and the 19th century French Impressionism. Most of his earlier works were inspired and influenced by Chagall and Mongolian. Leonid engaged in diverse school expeditions and he even sold some paintings. In 1978 he graduated as one of the elite members from Vitebsk Art School. Once he graduated he started private lessons with Marc Chagall, a local famous painter. Afremov meet his wife to be in 1975, Inessa Kagan. They got married a year later, during that year Inessa delivered their first son; Dmitri. They lived in a two room apartment with Inessa's parents and her sister. After Leonid graduated from university they bought their own home in 1982.
During the chilly winter, he stayed at home and painted because he was not allowed to participate in government expeditions or become a member of the local art program because of his Jewish roots.
In 1984, they had a second son; Boris. In 1986 when the Chernobyl disaster happened a few hundred kilometers away from Vitebsk, the effects were evident in the area. Damage was caused through rain and wind. Over the next fer years the effects worsened, crops and water became contaminated with the radioactive fallout. Small and young children were being being strongly affected, this included Leonid's two year old on. During this time he was also receiving discrimination because of his heritage.
In 1990 when the he became fed up with the anti-semitism and the worsening effects, that when the government let the Jewish Soviet Citizens migrate to Israel in the late 1980s. Leonid decided to migrate as soon as he had the chance. On May 17th 1990 they arrived in Israel. They had to give up their Soviet citizenship.
Professional Life
After graduating he worked as a designer of liquor labels. Then he worked as a set designed at a local theater. In the early 1980s he started doing freelance work for local farms and schools. He also designed propaganda posters and template sculptures of Lenin from plaster.
After moving to Israel he found a job after a few weeks at an advertising agency. making signs and posters. After a while he switched to working in a gallery where he learnt how to make frames, this introduced him the the pallet knife. Due to the fact that he was a new immigrant he was told that because of that his work was not worth much. So they bought his art for 50 shekels(15 U.S Dollars) and than resold them for 500 to 5000 shekels. He felt as if this was the same as it was before he migrated.
In the lath 1990s he painted with acrylic and water color, this gave him very little time to experiment with the pallet knife because he painted what people bought.
Later on in 1994 they became so desperate that his sixteen year old son; Dmitri went door-to-door selling his fathers paintings in the neighborhood. This worked out and granted them more business. His painting started selling for more money and this proved to be better than selling at the gallery. Dmitri was proven to be a very good sales men and continued selling his fathers paintings in the neighborhood where there were new immigrants from Russia.
After a while Leonid acquired enough money that he opened his own gallery and frame shop. During the lath 1990s Leonid was regularly holding exhibitions in Russian communities centers around Israel.
In March of 2001 his gallery was completely vandalized. Paintings were destroyed, his equipment had been stolen and the whole place had been turned t rubble. It was then that he decided to move somewhere he would be respected. He moved to the United States of America in 2002.
When he was preparing to move he sent all his paintings o his sister who lived in Brooklyn and he didn't s and o his work for several months.
Once they arrived in New York hat were consistently going from on gallery to another. He would find galleries that liked and purchased his work. He found that they only wanted Judaic themes and musicians. This forced him to paint certain subjects.
In 2004, his second son Boris graduated from high school, it was then that his friends introduced him to eBay. He thought it would be a good idea to sell some paintings on the site. They were successful, this exposure gave them opportunities to have access to more galleries.
Later on in 2007 his sons helped him start his own site. This moved all the business and attention to his personal site. Two years after that he underwent a heart bypass. The doctors recommended that he should stay away from managing his business. With the help of his sons, he doesn't have to worry as much. They take care of the site and deliveries.
In 2005 he was vacationing to Playa Del Carmen and Cancun for the first time. From then, he was visiting the Mexican Caribbean two to three times a year. Later on in 2010 he decided to take the early retirement the doctors recommended and moved to Playa Del Carmen. His sons were involved to the point where they moved to Mexico with him. They manage his virtual gallery and the shipping office in Playa Del Carmen. They also have locations in Cancun and Cozumel where they sell art during the winter when there are plenty of tourists. He finds the Mexican Caribbean very relaxing and soothing, so he spends time painting. He financed the construction of his very own ranch. Where he spends quite a bit of his time.
After moving to Israel he found a job after a few weeks at an advertising agency. making signs and posters. After a while he switched to working in a gallery where he learnt how to make frames, this introduced him the the pallet knife. Due to the fact that he was a new immigrant he was told that because of that his work was not worth much. So they bought his art for 50 shekels(15 U.S Dollars) and than resold them for 500 to 5000 shekels. He felt as if this was the same as it was before he migrated.
In the lath 1990s he painted with acrylic and water color, this gave him very little time to experiment with the pallet knife because he painted what people bought.
Later on in 1994 they became so desperate that his sixteen year old son; Dmitri went door-to-door selling his fathers paintings in the neighborhood. This worked out and granted them more business. His painting started selling for more money and this proved to be better than selling at the gallery. Dmitri was proven to be a very good sales men and continued selling his fathers paintings in the neighborhood where there were new immigrants from Russia.
After a while Leonid acquired enough money that he opened his own gallery and frame shop. During the lath 1990s Leonid was regularly holding exhibitions in Russian communities centers around Israel.
In March of 2001 his gallery was completely vandalized. Paintings were destroyed, his equipment had been stolen and the whole place had been turned t rubble. It was then that he decided to move somewhere he would be respected. He moved to the United States of America in 2002.
When he was preparing to move he sent all his paintings o his sister who lived in Brooklyn and he didn't s and o his work for several months.
Once they arrived in New York hat were consistently going from on gallery to another. He would find galleries that liked and purchased his work. He found that they only wanted Judaic themes and musicians. This forced him to paint certain subjects.
In 2004, his second son Boris graduated from high school, it was then that his friends introduced him to eBay. He thought it would be a good idea to sell some paintings on the site. They were successful, this exposure gave them opportunities to have access to more galleries.
Later on in 2007 his sons helped him start his own site. This moved all the business and attention to his personal site. Two years after that he underwent a heart bypass. The doctors recommended that he should stay away from managing his business. With the help of his sons, he doesn't have to worry as much. They take care of the site and deliveries.
In 2005 he was vacationing to Playa Del Carmen and Cancun for the first time. From then, he was visiting the Mexican Caribbean two to three times a year. Later on in 2010 he decided to take the early retirement the doctors recommended and moved to Playa Del Carmen. His sons were involved to the point where they moved to Mexico with him. They manage his virtual gallery and the shipping office in Playa Del Carmen. They also have locations in Cancun and Cozumel where they sell art during the winter when there are plenty of tourists. He finds the Mexican Caribbean very relaxing and soothing, so he spends time painting. He financed the construction of his very own ranch. Where he spends quite a bit of his time.