1. Farwell to Anger
By : Leonid Afremov

2. Index: Component 1- 30-questions about “Farwell to Anger”
Component 2- Information about “Farwell to Anger”
Component 3- Biography on Leonid Afremov
Component 4- Examples of Leonid Afremov other works
Component 5- Life map of Leonid Afremov
Component 6- Historical context surrounding the work of Leonid Afremov
Component 7- Instructional resource list
Component 8- Writing about “Farwell to Anger”
Component 9- Making art from Leonid Afremov “Farwell to Anger”
Component 10- Teaching art from “Farwell to Anger”

3. 30 questions about the Art
What medium and materials were used within this art piece?
From those answers, what are form is this work of art?
What was the process of producing this work of art?
How much time do you think it took the artist to create this work?
What form or forms of art style is this or could it be?
How does this work of art make you feel?
What do you think the title of this work of art is?
What are some ideas about the narrative of this work of art?
What impressions does this work give you about the artist?
What are some thoughts that came to mind when viewing this work?
What implies these thoughts (explain in details)?
What is going on with in this work?
What would you do different?
Why would you do this (explain in detail)?
Does this work of art feel finished? Why?
What does it feel like its missing? Why?
What mood strikes you when you first see this work? Why?
What makes you associate this mood with this work?
What do you like about this work of art?
What don’t you like about this work of art?
What aestetic value does this work have to you?
When do you think this work was done?
How is this work connected to this time?
Where do you think this work was produced?
How is this work connected to that place or certain visual culture?
What do you think this artist other work looks like?
Why do you think this artist created this work of art?
Does this artiest works of art look like there a body of work? Why?
What do you think this work means?
Is the narrative, meaning or interpretation of this work easily ready? Why?

4. Component 2 Love by the lake by Leonid Afremov
Love by the lake by Leonid Afremov is 30”/40”, oil paint on canvas with paint brush and pallet knife. The narrative in “Love by the Lake” is two lovers taking a quit walk along a path next to the lake while it’s raining. The low soft romantic light from the lanterns and the dark soaked trees and wet background capture the warmth and cold feeling that the artist is trying to capture. The artist uses the color combination of complementary colors blues and oranges to merge these two different feelings that are prevalent in this work of art. With the cold, calm relaxing scenic views and the warmth from the lanterns and their love and desire for one another creates this melody of cold and warmth. “Here, far from urban haste and street noise, you can reconnect with your inner self and feel the healing touch of nature” (Leonid Afremov).
Leonid Afremov description of “Love by the Lake”
On the forefront, we see a finely painted tree skeleton whose black branches penetrate through the rich lantern light and the cloudy sky as if trying to reach for the moon. The glowing lantern bulbs scatter the darkness and create a cozy corridor of red and yellow descending down to the horizon. As the viewer’s eye proceeds deeper into the scene, everything gets lost in a blue mist that transforms the tree silhouettes on the other side of the lake into wandering ghosts and covers the water surface with an eerie silvery frosting.

5. Biography of Leonid Afremov 3
Leonid Afremov was born 12 July 1955 in Vitebsk, Belarus. He is considered among the art world to be a modern impressionistic artist from Russia – Israel. Leonid Afremov has made his impression on the art world with his unique oil paintings that he creates with his pallet knife that are like none other.
Leonid Afremov was raised in a Jewish home, his mother Bella Afremova was a metal factory worker and his father Arkadiy Afremov was a shoe designer and shoemaker in Vitebsk. During early childhood Leonid was a very determined student his favorite subjects were History and Art. Leonid would attend any class offered on these subjects and would pay for private lesions with local artist. His parents took notice in his talent in painting and always encouraged him to peruse an art career. At the age of fourteen his was exposed to the extreme cold and suffered kidney damage as a result of this the damage resulted in hypertension, and is still currently struggling with this today.
Leonid graduated with honors from high school in 1973 in Vitebsk. He was admitted to the Vitebsk Education Institute, there he studied art design. This is when he started admiring artist and work of March Chagall, Picasso, Dali, Modigliani and the 19th century French Impressionism. During collage he interred into some school exhibitions were he sold some painting this was just the encouragement that he needed. In 1978 Leonid graduated from the Vitebsk Art School as one of their elite and still continued to get private lesions from local artist. This is when he met a teacher of his hero Marc Chagall and began to learn under the famous artist Barowski.
It was 1975 in Soviet Russia and Leonid was trying to become a well known artist but was also working at a beer factory as a label designer and at a theater where he was a set designer. In 1975 is when he met his wife Inessa Kagan, they married one year later. In 1977 his first son was born his name is Dmitry Afremov, his family along with his wife’s family and grandmother lived in a two bed room apartment. I n the 1980’s Leonid was doing free lance work designing propaganda posters and also working with plaster doing some sculpture work. He became well known and was asked to work in schools. In 1984 his second son was born Dmitry Afremov, during this time the Cold War was going on and because of his Jewish roots he was not allowed to participate in any government activity and was out of work. He began to paint at home during this time he would give his paintings away and did not keep any records of his work prior to 1990’s.
In 1986 the Chernobyl disaster happened which was very close to Vitebsk, with rain and wind the radiation began to take hold of his town many people began to suffer including his two year old son. It was now the late 80’s and Leonid was tired of dealing with anti-Semitism and problems caused by radiation and at first chance moved to Israel on the 17th of May in There Leonid lived with family who had been there since the 1970’s and then moved into an apartment once he found a job. His job was at an advertisement agency making signs and posters this is when Leonid was introduced to the pallet knife.
He began to create his own work and selling it to galleries, but they were only giving him a fraction of what they where selling them for because of the social stigma of Russian immigrants. Once he found out Leonid confronted the galleries and they told him “because you’re a Russian immigrant you don’t mean anything and aren’t worth anything”. Totally desperate for money his wife forced him to work in a textile factory, mean while his son Dmitry Afremov was trying to sale his fathers work door to door he actually started to generate some local recognition. After a while Leonid had enough money in 1995 where he open his own art and frame shop in Ashdod. He was locally famous but due to his Jewish roots and being a Russian immigrant his shop was often vandalized and still felt trapped with no true freedom to do his art. All through out the 90’s Leonid tried to catch a break, but could overcome his Jewish and Russian background until he almost losing everything to his shop being completely ruined along with all of his paintings.
After moving to America in January 2002, after arriving in New York he quickly began going from gallery to gallery trying to sell his work, but they only took a certain type of paintings which where ones of musicians that he painted when he worked with his friend the Russian-speaking Israeli jazz musician Leonid Ptashka. Once again he felt trapped doing what people ask of him not having the freedom to work on what he felt like working on. In April of 2002 he moved to Fort Lauderdale in Florida. He was faced with the same challenge in New York. In 2004 his son Boris graduated High School and was introduced to EBay by friend, he realized that this would be a great place to sell his fathers work. After selling a few paintings on EBay he started to receive lots of positive feedback. Leonid quickly sold out of everything for hundreds of dollars and sometimes even thousands. He felt that he was finally able to begin painting what he wanted and the world seemed to approve of his work. Thanks to the successes from the internet in 2007 Leonid launched his own site where he sells his work and was published in magazines and health articles as paintings that relive stress. Two years later Leonid underwent heart bypass procedures the doctors advised him to no longer manage his gallery site due to the stress, so his two sons currently manage his site. After visiting Mexico Cancun and Playa del Carmen Leonid decided to move there and currently owns a shop in both cities and lives and works at his own personal ranch near Puerto Morelos where he spends much of his time.

6. Component 4

7. Life Map of Leonid Afremov 5
Leonid Afremov was born 12 July 1955 in Vitebsk, Belarus. Leonid Afremov was raised in a Jewish home, his mother Bella Afremova was a metal factory worker and his father Arkadiy Afremov was a shoe designer and shoemaker in Vitebsk.
Leonid graduated with honors from high school in 1973 in Vitebsk. He was admitted to the Vitebsk Education Institute, there he studied art design. This is when he started admiring artist and work of March Chagall, Picasso, Dali, Modigliani and the 19th century French Impressionism.
In 1978 Leonid graduated from the Vitebsk Art School as one of their elite and still continued to get private lesions from local artist. This is when he met a teacher of his hero Marc Chagall and began to learn under the famous artist Barowski.
In 1986 the Chernobyl disaster happened which was very close to Vitebsk, with rain and wind the radiation began to take hold of his town many people began to suffer including his two year old son. It was now the late 80’s and Leonid was tired of dealing with anti-Semitism and problems caused by radiation and at first chance moved to Israel on the 17th of May in 1990.
It was now the late 80’s and Leonid was tired of dealing with anti-Semitism and problems caused by radiation and at first chance moved to Israel on the 17th of May in 1990.
After moving to America in January 2002, after arriving in New York he quickly began going from gallery to gallery trying to sell his work, but they only took a certain type of paintings which where ones of musicians that he painted when he worked with his friend a Russian-speaking Israeli jazz musician Leonid Ptashka. Once again he felt trapped doing what people ask of him and not having the freedom to work on what he felt like working on.
In April of 2002 he moved to Fort Lauderdale in Florida. He was faced with the same challenge in New York. In 2004 his son Boris graduated High School and was introduced to EBay by friend, he realized that this would be a great place to sell his father’s work. After selling a few paintings on EBay he started to receive lots of positive feedback. Leonid quickly sold out of everything for hundreds of dollars and sometimes even thousands. He felt that he was finally able to begin painting what he wanted and the world seemed to approve of his work.
Thanks to the successes from the internet in 2007 Leonid launched his own site where he sells his work and was published in magazines and health articles as paintings that relive stress. Two years later Leonid underwent heart bypass procedures the doctors advised him to no longer manage his gallery site due to the stress, so his two sons currently manage his site. After visiting Mexico Cancun and Playa del Carmen Leonid decided to move there and currently owns a shop in both cities and lives and works at his own personal ranch near Puerto Morelos where he spends much of his time.

8. Component 6. Historical events and context
Afremov’s family practiced Jewish traditions and risked being arrested for practicing their religion and speaking their language during the area of government anti-Semitism. Not being allowed to participate in government exhibitions due to Jewish roots or be a member of the local art association. He attended all possible art classes offered in school and took private lessons from local artists. Leonid was noticed at an early age by his parents for having great artistic talent and they encouraged him to develop more skills. The work of March Chagall, Picasso, Dali, Modigliani and the 19th century French Impressionism was introduced to Afremov in college, but the work of Chagall, also born in Vitebsk and Modigliani influenced Afremov. After college, Afremov took private lessons from local famous artist Barowski. In 1986 the Chernobyl disaster occurred and Vitebsk was only a few hundred kilometers from Chernobyl making it close enough for radiation to travel. The ecological situation in the area worsened, contamination ruined water and crops with radioactive fallout effecting children, including Afremov’s two year old son. Serious discrimination and insults for his Jewish heritage were still happening. In late 1980s, Mikhail Gorbachev allowed Jewish soviet citizens to migrate to Israel. Leonid Afremov moved to Israel, finding a job in an advertisement agency making signs and posters within a short time frame. Afterwards, he learned to make frames being introduced to the palette knife for the first time in a gallery shop. The locals considered his work as having little value since he is a Russian immigrant. Leonid Afremov mostly worked with watercolors and acrylic in the early 1990s, experimenting very little with usage of the palette knife. Having to make money, he was forced to paint art work that was selling with very little artistic freedom. In 1990, Leonid meets with Russian-speaking Israeli jazz musician Leonid Ptashka, inspiring Afremov to paint a collection of portraits of popular jazz musicians. The inspiration led Leonid Afremov to paint dozens of his favorite musicians.
Sadly enough in March 2001, Afremov’s gallery was completely vandalized, equipment stolen and dozens of paintings ruined. In an attempt to flee, paintings were not sold for months, sending everything he painted to his sister in Brooklyn. Finally, moving to the USA in January 2002, he and his son went to galleries in New York; however galleries only bought the kind of Judaic themes and musician portraits forcing him to paint limited themes and subjects for living. In 2004, his son Boris was introduced to EBay. They sold a couple of paintings for hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars by auction and immediately receiving positive reviews. He was able to do paintings that inspired him and he loved to do. He did not feel his painting in galleries was right due to past experiences, he was selling directly to the collectors. Internet was the start of an exciting journey for Afremov participating in TV shows around the USA. His art was known to be relaxing and calming being used in psychological and psychiatric therapy procedures and various medical and health magazines for stress reduction. In 2005, Afremov family moved to Boca Raton. In 2007, he launched with the help of his son, a personal site selling giclees, prints and original painting attracting allot of business. He retired in March 2010 moving to Playa del Carmen near Cancun. Leonid Afremov art is mostly politically neutral, not offensive nor hides hidden messages reflecting personal memories and emotions drawing viewer to feel a certain emotion with bright colors. Farewell to Anger reflects a strong positive impact. Our lives are always busy, barely having time to look around and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us. Our normal routine has taken over our lives and the exhaustion from our jobs and thousands of things we must take care of causing depression and anger. If we were to only put our problems aside and take moments to walk down a beautifully lit park alley with happiness on our minds!

9. Component 7 Internet Resources: Books: Magazines: Tools & Materials:
Website: dickblick.com -A site to get material and resources (books, magazines ext.) to teach.
Paletteknife.net. -This is Leonid A. website with videos on how to use a palette knife.
Howcast.com-Provides how to videos and insights to new creative ways for students to learn all kinds of art.
Pinterest.com/101-palette-knife-painting/ -More how to videos on using pallet knife. Hopefully help student understand the variety in our world and in the art world.
Books:
Introduction to Painting With a palette knife: a practical reference guide to painting with different types of knifes.
DK Art School: An introduction to all kinds of paints Oil, Water Color, Tempera and Acrylics paints
Palette Knife Painting for the Toole and Decorative Painter: This gives student different aspects of painting like functional, decretive and even just for fun.
How to Paint with a Knife: To help students understand the different types of painting tools and how to be creative when using materials and tools.
Magazines:
Outdoor Painter Painting tips: Tips on using a palette knife
The Artist Magazine: Artist magazine to show student new and upcoming art and artist; as well as new tools and materials.
Tools & Materials:
Canvas, Palette Knife, Brushes and Paints (oil, acrylic, Water, tempera) - To give kids a visual and physical understanding of materials.
Different examples of Paintings -To show examples of finished products of different paint and tools, which allows students to feel the different textures, color, color tones ext. when used.

10. Component 8
# 1-8
Metaphor- with bright colors that put me in a place of tranquility.
Smilie- life is like a box of crayons, filled with beauty and color surrounding our every move.
Limerick- A man once lived in Vitebsk, often confused/feeling that he was going to lose/that kept his true artistic ability hidden in his heart/but his son Boris, pulling him up to the sky/Afremov now flying in the sky filled with happy emotions and a smile as big as his heart
Haiku:
Russian immigrant
He then fled with family
Now he is happy
Rhyming couplet:
There is man
That needed a hand
There was no justice
Because he was Jewish
His love was art
That’s what kept him from falling apart
Money was an issue
Man, he wished he had some tissue
He has a son named Boris helping him through
With EBay coming on the rise they jumped in
All the way through till the final end
His paintings were bright with colors glamour
I really wish he would make some more
Adjectives:
Bright Happiness Passion Romantic Love Colorful Wet Mysterious Standstill
Re-title- Fidelity would be the name of the art work. The reasoning is, I see faithfulness and loyalty from all angles.
Tweet- A painting that speaks to you Farewell to Anger is a harmony meant for peace, love and happiness. Two fulfilled individuals walking in the rain with no worry on their mind.

11. What Saved My Life on the Island
As I open my eyes, the strange scene stands before me over and over again. Time was once relevant but now is ancient. Only speaking to myself, alone and miserable I once remember my life before being stranded on this island from hell.
Another day, another moment approaches. I once again open my eyes to that same strange scene for the past six months, however this time it was not the same. A large object I see through the dark night stars getting nearer and nearer, thoughts running through my head but I cannot imagine what it could be. As it gets closer my heart is beaten a rhythm so fast, my breathing is gets heavier as I race to the shore. The pain on my feet was brutal but num to the fact that this could be it, my time has come to leave this place. I reached the box but stand with a glare, not sure for how long but the sunrise was up.
The package was heavy as it would be so I carefully picked it up into my arms. My heart still beaten so fast it feels like it’s about to burst out of my chest. I quickly walked back to open the mysterious box that has appeared from somewhere but I did not know where. As I pick up a pointy stick to slice open the tape, I peal back the tabs slowly one by one. I had no clue what I would find but was hopeful it would bring me a helpful surprise. I pulled out the object with much curiosity and saw an artwork, I did not understand why out of all things possible why art.
To my disappointment, I was furious, I felt betrayed by everything in this world. I start to pace back and forth wondering why; I’m now feeling more abandoned and all alone on this island of horror. Given the fact that I had nothing to do, I picked up the painting to see what was so special that it had to be wrapped and put in such a nice box. I stare for a moment, not really sure how long. My eyes are wide open and my heart beat has slowed down, I suddenly became calm and relaxed, everything was put into perspective. I was hypnotized with so many bright colors on one little canvas, it is almost like a celebration of color that has a melody of warm but yet cold feelings that resonates the soul. Although it is not something that I had hoped to be a vital resource, I’m starting to realize it has more value then what I initially saw.
I have now come to look at the picture as a tool to calm myself, it puts me into a place in my mind where I once was and where I once hope to be again. I now use this beautiful painting as a window into the world that I know and miss. It has become my entertainment of color, texture and shapes that sometimes has me completely lost in all the colorful emotions; as though I am jumping from one color to another like lily pads. Other days I get completely wrapped up in the ideas that could surround this painting that remind me of my love who feels like she’s worlds apart from me. Other days I want to destroy this reminder of my old life, the life I wish to come back to, the life that I hope has not yet forgotten me. My old life has now become a distant memory that is hard to remember some days. I tell myself I cannot destroy this as much as I want too. It has become a part of me and I have grown to love and know every part of this painting, but at the same time it still surprises me with new ideas and images that surround it. I know how much I need this painting to carry on, for it is the only thing that is keeping me insane on this spit of land.

12. Component 9 Making Art from “Farwell to Anger”
Oil painting example: Lantern in the Night
I began by using blue, red, orange white, black oil paint, a 9in. / 12in. canvas and palette knife.
In this example I wanted to show how the use of color such as blue, can set the mood and can create a cold, calm and dark understanding to the narrative of the painting. I also tried to use the palette knife in a way that Leonid Afremov does which is very expressively. I think mark making is very important and a good way for artist to express or hint at an idea or theme or feelings.
Water color example: Love in the Park
I begin by using blue, purple, fuchsia, black, white, yellow, orange and green water colors with a med. Size paint brush, and 9in. / 12in. canvas.
In this example I couldn’t use the palette knife because water color paint isn’t thick enough, so I went with the approach of fun with color. I wanted to celebrate the beautiful emotion of love with rich bright colors, so after placing the figures, lantern and trees. I used the paint brush in a dabbing motion to make the fun confetti mixed emotion of color just like a palette knife would.
Tempera Example: Orange Poring Pot
I begin with white, green, pink, orange, skin tone, blue, yellow and green tempera and paint brush and palette knife, and 11in. / 14in. canvas.
In this example I wanted to use color in a hot, fun and warm way, so I used the palette knife to make marks in the background in mostly warm colors. I also want to use this example to bring up the point that simple images can be used just how Leonid Afremov sometimes uses silhouettes and abstract imagery. I decided to use a pot to show in art simplistic images, minimal images, shapes and designs can be all one need to relay the idea, theme and concepts.
Acrylic example: Mayan Water Pot
To begin I used green, peach yellow, white, orange, red, dark green acrylic paint brush, sponge and palette knife.
In this example I want to use a combination of color use, expression though mark making and introducing new and different tools to get all kinds of affects. I want students to learn to be creative and adventurist when making art and find new ways and tool to do this. After using palette knife with lots of warm and soft calming colors in the background. I then used the sponge to blot light green around the pot, I then used the paint brush to get the smooth strokes on the pot.

13. Component 10 Teaching Art from Leonid Afremov “Farwell to Anger”
Lesson one- Uses of color-a power point of paintings of Leonid, along with uploaded YouTube-videos of him painting. The idea is for students to realize the many different ways one can use color. How color can be used expressively and experimental or even explore tones and moods that color can have on images or background and any new ways to use color.
Lesson two-New mediums and tools-I would start with Leonid Afremov site “palette Knife”, from this student will observe Leonid A. use a palette knife instead of a paint brush to do his paintings. Students can learn to be creative and find new, fun or inventive ways to paint that just might make the work better, interesting, easier or even harder. Also want students to explore different materials such as paints, papers, tools and canvases.
Lesson tree-Observing and understanding different art-I want students to understand that there not one certain way to paint. I think that students always associate painting only with traditional painting styles and this would give them great examples of different styles like abstract, expressive, impressionist and contemporary art and ext.
Lesson four-Research project-I want students to find an artist with a unique or creative style of their own that they find interesting. Wright about it and bring an example of the artist work to present.
Lesson five-Project- Part one: student must find a new and creative tool to paint with. Part two: must use at least 8 colors. Part tree: explore expressive, decretive, abstract, texture and a style of their choice.

14. Resources: http://www.paletteknife.net/ http://afremov.com/
Afremov.com/farwell-to-anger-palette-knife-oil-painting-on-canvas-by-leonid
en.wikipedia.org
vitebskcity.com
worldincentivenexus.com