Zatsepina, Zinaida

Zinaida Illevna Zatsepina was born in 1913 into a family of villagers in Nova Kalitva in Voronezh Provence. In her early career, she worked as an artist-reparatory in a photo studio in Novo-Hopersk before attending the Tambov Art Tekhnikum (College for Art Teachers) 1933-36, where she studied to become an art teacher. Directly following she went to the Penza Art College from 1937-39 where her art teacher was the famous artist Goryushkin-Sorokapudov. Zatsepina studied and taught art in Penza until she was forced to evacuate during World War II and moved to Krasnodar and then Kiev. There she continued her studies at Kiev’s State University, where the most popular art studio at the time was located and run by famous artist Krichevski. She taught and studied under his guidance, finishing her diploma work (entitled Kindergarten) until she began exhibiting in 1948.

Zatsepina had won popularity among a wide range of art lovers for her genre and landscape oils featuring women and children. Typically pictured in nature, at river’s edge, on a rocky seashore, or in the garden, her canvases are sometimes layered with thick paint that reflects light in true Russian Impressionist style. Her bright colors honestly portray the softer side of life in Ukraine. Children play on the Black Sea or read by the tumbling waves. This is the kind of warmth and compassion that continues to attract viewers long after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Zatsepina worked successfully as an independent artist with exhibitions worldwide. She participated in multiple Republic and Soviet Union exhibits with work in the Poltava and Mokolaev’s Art gallery, Penza art gallery, Kiev literature art museum of Taras Shevchenko, and also historical museums in Pereyaslav-Temelovitsky and Chernovtsy.

She was awarded by the Komsomol Central Committee of the Communist party for participation in the Youth Komsomol Art Exhibit in 1968 for her work “The Two.” During her personal exhibit in honor of her 60th birthday, she presented over 200 pieces. Work of Zinaida Zatsepina had carried her retrospective character and reflected over 25 years of her artistic activity. Among the exhibited work, spectators were introduced to her greatest theme work, such as “Tisha” (1967), “Sunlight” (1972), “Golden Childhood” (1974), “Funny Fellows” (1974), etc.

Zatsepina’s Major Exhibits

1. 10th Soviet Republics Artist Exhibit, Kiev, 1949.
2. Exhibit of General Educational Art of Ukrainian Republic, Kiev, 1951.
3. Exhibit, “Soviet Ukraine”, dedicated to Ukrainian Liteerature and Fine Art in Moscow, Moscow, 1951.
4. Soviet Union Republics Exhibit of Marine Artists, Kiev, 1953.
5. Soviet Union Exhibit of Marine Artists, Moscow, 1954.
6. Fine Art Exhibit of Ukrainian Republic of USSR dedicated to 300 years of the Union of Ukraine with Russia, Moscow, 1954.
7. Exhibit of works of Artists-Marinists, Kiev,1955.
8. Second Soviet Union of Artists-Marinists, Moscow, 1955.
9. Jubilee Exhibit of Fine Art of Ukrainian Republic dedicated to 40-year celebration of the Great October Revolution, Kiev, 1957.
10. The exhibit, “Soviet Artists – about India” Kiev, 1958. Moscow, India, 1959.
11. Exhibit, “Soviet Ukraine” dedicated to Ukrainian Literature and Fine Art in Moscow, Kiev, Moscow, 1960.
12. Republic exhibit of Marine Artists, Kiev, 1961.
13. Third Soviet Union Exhibit of Marine Artists, Moscow, 1961.
14. Republic Art Exhibit, Kiev, 1963.
15. Jubilee Art exhibit dedicated to 150-year Birthday Celebration of T.G. Shevchenko, Kiev, 1964.
16. Ukrainian Fine Art Exhibit in Moscow, 1964.
17. Republic Jubilee Fine Art Exhibit dedicated to 50 years of Celebration of Great October Revolution, Kiev, 1967.
18. Republic Art Exhibit dedicated to 50 years of Soviet Union Komsomol Organization, Kiev, 1968.
19. Republic Fine Art Exhibit dedicated to 50-year celebration of Komsomol Organization, Kiev, 1969.
20. Republic Art Exhibit dedicated to 100-year Birthday Celebration of V.I. Lenin, Kiev, 1970.
21. Republic Art Exhibit dedicated to 24th Ukrainian Communist Party Congress, Kiev, 1971.
22. Fine Art Exhibit dedicated to International Day of Youth, Kiev, 1971.
23. Fine Art Exhibit dedicated to International Day of Youth, Kiev, 1971.
24. Republic Art Exhibit, “Guarding Peace”, Kiev, 1973.
25. Fine Art Exhibit dedicated to the International Women’s Day, March 8th, Kiev,1974.
26. Republic Art Exhibit dedicated to 30th year celebration of Ukrainian Freedom from German Fascist Intruders, Kiev, 1974.
27. Jubilee Exhibit of Marine Art dedicated in memory of 75 years since Aivazovsky’s death, Feodocia, Sevastopol, 1975.