It is a privilege to have access to the inner sanctum of an artist’s studio. The strong smell of oil paint and turps is usually common to all, but what differs is the state of organisation – or in some cases – lack of it! Nadia Kisseleva is a very organised artist. I have never visited her studios in Kenya or Austria but in Birmingham, although small, her upstairs workroom is stacked with racks of canvases and reference books and pots of pencils & brushes, and flooded with natural light – or as much as Birmingham affords on a grey, wet February morning! Yes, artists are meant to be free spirits and to let their creative juices flow. But for us agents and gallery owners, working with talent within a system is so much more beneficial. We have been exhibiting work by Nadia for two decades (ever since I met her in the graveyard in High Wycombe – another story!) and she is a delight to work with, not only because of her supreme artistic ability, but because she is efficient, professional, even-tempered, interesting and progressive. She really goes all out to meet me half-way; thank you Nadia for that and for continuing to produce such beautiful work.
