Maria Tikhomirova was born on April 22 1962 in Moscow
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In 1984, she graduated from the faculty of painting of the Moscow Surikov Art Institute. Since 1985, she has been a member of the Union of Artists of Russia.
Since 2012, Maria Tikhomirova has been a full member (Academician) of the Russian Academy of Arts. She has taken part in exhibitions in Bratislava, Neumünster, Berlin, Cyprus, as well as in many other international, All-Russian and Moscow exhibitions. Many of her works are in both Russian museums and in private collections abroad.
Maria grew up in an atmosphere of love and creativity. Her parents worked a great deal, and travelled much around the country, so Maria spent a lot of time with her grandfather on her mother’s side, Vyacheslav. A nobleman by birth, he had supported the revolution and even belonged to the personal bodyguard of Vladimir Lenin. He told her many interesting things about his life and about the grandmother whom Masha had never known. Her parents often took their daughter to the Bolshoi Theater to listen to recitals and symphony concerts. Guests often came to the Tikhomirov home, and Maria recalls with admiration the people who visited: Vladimir Soloukhin, the soloist of the Bolshoi Theatre Alexander Vedernikov, the folk singer Alexandra Strelchenko, the renowned 1960s theatre actress Tatyana Konyukhova, and many others. Maria remembers how she and her parents would go to visit Galina Ulanova at her home. The ballet dancer had a favourite poodle, which was very old and had no teeth, so Ulanova fed him porridge with a spoon. Maria also remembers Aram Khachaturian. He came to a solo exhibition on Gorky Street: Maria was then about 12 years old, and she remembers his kind face. Maria’s elder brother did not become an artist, but studied languages and eventually became a diplomat. Maria did a lot of sports, but when she was 13, her father told her, “If you want to sleep as long as you like, and don’t want to go to work every day, you should become an artist.” However, the truth was that Olga and Leonid never rested at all their entire lives, and worked from morning to night, with no days off. When their children grew up, the Tikhomirovs finally decided to go on vacation together to Turkey, but they still didn’t forget to take a sketch-box easel with them.
Anastasia Tikhomirova was born on April 25 1986 in Moscow
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Nastya started dancing at the age of two. She never much liked to watch cartoons on the television, but when her parents turned on ballet, she could sit for hours, or would even begin dancing. When the 10-year-old son of their neighbours would be taken to ballroom dancing classes, Nastya joined him for company. But dance would became her life for the next 10 years: she trained every day and took part in competitions at weekends. Every summer the whole Tikhomirov family lived in the countryside (most of the parents’ landscapes were painted in the village of Novo-Pokrov). One day Nastya’s grandfather painted a sketch near their house, and Nastya came up and asked him for paints to try her hand at painting. Soon it became clear that there was another artist in the family. Once the nine-year-old Nastya came up to her mother and said: “I wrote a poem,” and showed a piece of paper with a poem, “Thunderstorm”, written on it with a lot of mistakes. Even since then, Nastya has gone on writing poetry. When they saw Nastya’s works, many painters would say straightaway: “Leonid, she ought to join the Union of Artists!” And, at the age of 18, she was indeed admitted to the Union of Artists of Moscow. They had wanted to allow her to join earlier, but the Union’s Charter did not allow it.
Nastya has taken part in many Moscow, Russian and international exhibitions, as well as those of family work. Her works are in private collections.
In 2008, Nastya graduated from the Fashion Industry Institute as an image-maker. In 2004, she joined the Moscow branch of Russia’s Union of Artists. She has taken part in exhibitions in Bratislava, Berlin, Neumünster, Cyprus, as well as many international, All-Russian and Moscow exhibitions.
Blessed Is the Poor in Spirit
When there is damp and haze in the gardens,
The holy gardens are warm and quiet.
That quiet you should honour.
But, if you go into the valley of abundance
You'll say to all: “I am the King!”
And thunder rolling down,
A red-fire chain will break the sky
The garden taken by storm to the bottom.
But then you will atone this sin
And say: “I’m nobody. Oh Lord, I'm wrong.”
May 24 1999
Betrayal
The same cruel souls I see again,
The same cruel eyes,
Souls as black as sky above,
Angry eyes and spiteful heart...
Who’ll open your heart to happiness?
Who’ll wake you up and enlighten?
Where is your angel?
Where will he come from?
How will he chasten all angry souls?
Where is your angel?
He’d wash your dust-filled heart.
Or you’re waiting for terror on earth?
The sky is calling!
God is calling you!
Your heart, He will adorn with laurel…
February 1998
Thunderstorm
Dark sky,
Insidious sky ...
Demon itself
Knocks on the window!
He cannot be bored,
And doesn’t play games -
He is down there,
Waiting for the unfaithful to come…
But look above,
You’ll see up there -
Suddenly all
Becomes so clear.
Touch of the light in the dark:
A lambent angel
Knocks on the sky,
Eager to fly.
He does not give up -
He’s coming for you.
1999