Outdoor Warrior

Kseniya Simonova

In every respect, this young Ukrainian girl, Kseniya Simonova, is a Cool Young Artist. Her eight minute video from YouTube demonstrates her talent. Using a giant light box, measuring approximately three feet by four feet, she transforms the white or light colored sand into amazingly real and detailed images. She does this to music as she draws dramatic images of the invasion and occupation of her country from 1941 to 1945.

Her demonstration is before a live audience as she tells an entire story of the invasion and occupation. No other tools are used other than the sand and both her hands, often simultaneously. The images almost magically appear, including small details of people’s faces and landscape scenes as well as depictions of decorative sculptures, masks, sky, clouds and many other exquisite images.

During the demonstration the audience sometimes gasps at the reality of Kseniya’s creations and their destruction as she wipes away one beautiful creation either in preparation for another or through gracefully transforming the image into an entirely different storybook scene, image or new creation of artistry.

While watching Kseniya gracefully do her “sand painting,” you cannot help but think about whether or not slick, clever and smooth video editing was used. Detailed images often appear under her fingers, palms or fists as she manipulates the sand with amazingly smooth, graceful movements, complementing and almost in time with the music; appropriately, her art is also called “sand animation.” I concluded that video editing was not used; however, I have no way of verifying this.

This Ukrainian artist won the “Ukraine’s Got Talent” competition to show both her imagination and her “sand painting” skills. Truly, she is a “Cool Young Artist”!

Kseniya Simonova is only the second cool young artist to be featured. Do come back next week when we will feature another unique artist, who could come from anywhere in the world. Also, if you know of a cool young artist you would like to see featured here, please let us know. Maybe you will be inspired to learn how to become an artist like one of these Cool Young Artists!

Thank you for reading!