Vitaliy Shtanko is a Ukranian artist based in Florence and a Principal instructor of Advanced Painting at FAA.

In this informative Art Talk, shot in his private studio in the heart of Florence, Vitaliy unveils the secrets behind a very specific technique, that of painting the effect of gold. Gold jewelry and elements have many uses for painters and often have symbolic meanings in compositions. For Vitaliy, they also represent a means to create contrast and variety in his work. Through looking at several of his paintings, Vitaliy explains how he transforms gold elements from their long-standing traditional use in specific genres of painting, to how they enhance the works he produces today.

“To better characterize my nature as an artist, I like to quote the great Ilya Repin:
Keep abreast of the new century, constantly move forward and only use the greatest and finest creations of art as examples, and, by following them, participate in art with your own strengths, adding to the overall great chorus your own voice, and to improve the latter, you should work selflessly, work and study!.” – Vitaliy Shtanko