LAKE BAIKAL: Vladimir Osipov, 63 and a life-long painter, lives next to Lake Baikal. Not surprisingly, it is the main subject of his art work.
I asked him if he paints the sun setting over the mountains. [Sunsets] are either for dilettantes or geniuses. Blue skies and clear water isn’t my cup of tea either. I like harsh landscape scenes,” he said, standing next to a huge painting of a cloudy, and possibly stormy, Baikal.
Vladimir said Chinese customers account for about half of his sales, adding it may be due to the infamous air pollution in China.
“Clean air and clear skies is a fairytale for [Chinese people],” said Vladimir, who has traveled around China. “They like the cleanliness of Baikal.”
Vladimir lives on a plot of land with his son Dmitry, a sculptor. Vladimir and Dmitry collect and repair old cars. You can read about Dmitry here.