OLGA ROEHL. A DREAM OF WHITE LILIES.
OLGA ROEHL – an artist, a doll artist, a sculptor, a designer, a teacher of visual and applied arts; a member of the Association of European Doll Artists (VEP), the Canadian Doll Artists Association (CDAA), the National Institute of American Doll Artists (NIADA), the Creative Union of Russian Artists (CURA) .
Olga Roehl was born on 28 December 1967 in Daugavpils, Latvia. Since an early age she knew she will be an artist. After graduation of Rēzekne School of Arts (Latvia) she studied at the Moscow School of Design (doll artists class) and, later, when already being an experienced artist, she graduated the Daugavpils University as a bachelor in arts. She has also participated in various art classes and professional training courses.
Olga Roehl is a comprehensively gifted artist. Before going into creation of dolls she painted, worked with textile panels, sew clothes, knitted outfits for herself and her husband, worked at an aesthetic education school, was an image maker at a model agency, a decorator at the Latvian Puppet Theatre in Riga, cooperated with the Daugavpils Theatre and led master classes. In addition, O. Roehl also starred in several short films, including the biographical feature film “A Doll”. Her name is well known in Daugavpils.
In 2004 Olga Roehl moved to Germany and fully devoted herself to doll art. Since the end of 2000 she lives and creates in Switzerland. In addition to her creative work she is also engaged in teaching activities.
From 1998 Olga Roehl has been actively participating in various exhibitions presenting the viewers with her textile works, water-colour paintings, sculptures, photographs and art dolls. She constantly participates in all major exhibitions in Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Canada, Finland, Russia, the United States and Japan. The artist’s oeuvre has always drawn great interest from the viewers. Works of Olga Roehl are found in various private collections and galleries in Germany, France, Switzerland, Finland, Austria, Italy, Holland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Russia, Latvian, Lithuania, Estonia, the United States and Canada.
Dolls created by Olga Roehl are exceptionally artistic, graceful, mysterious, expressive, sensual and colourful. The doll artist in her creative work pays great attention to the colour, shape and composition. Her dolls amaze us with their depth and philosophy. Olga Roehl pays great importance to the symbolism. That is why our exhibition of art dolls carries a rather poetic title – “A Dream of White Lilies”. In different cultures a white lily has a number of symbolic meanings, but mainly it is a symbol of innocence, purity and peace. This initial sense of the white lily marks the artist’s richness of images and colours.
Valentina Smertjeva
