“Albatrosses. Bilosaraiskyi Nature Reserve” – Original Bird Painting by Marina Stognieva

The Story Behind the Painting

“Albatrosses. Bilosaraiskyi Nature Reserve” is an original painting by Ukrainian artist Marina Stognieva, created in oil on paper. The work measures 21 × 30 cm and belongs to the artist’s large-scale project “Picturesque Guide to Ukraine”, dedicated to the regions of Ukraine, their nature, people, history, culture, and the artist’s personal interpretation of each place.

The painting belongs to the section devoted to the Donetsk region of Ukraine and turns toward its natural world. At the centre of the composition are three large white birds standing near the water, surrounded by tall green reeds. Here, Marina Stognieva presents the Donetsk region not through its industrial cities or mining landscapes, but through another side of the region — water, birds, coastal vegetation, and a sense of natural stillness.

General view of the painting “Albatrosses. Bilosaraiskyi Nature Reserve”. Oil on paper, 21 × 30 cm.

The three birds dominate the foreground. Their pale bodies are painted with broad, energetic brushstrokes in white, light blue, and grey, while their large yellow beaks create vivid accents and immediately draw the viewer’s attention.

The artist does not seek photographic precision. The forms remain free and painterly, while the individuality of each bird emerges through the movement of the lines, the turn of the head, the direction of the beak, and the relationship between the figures. As a result, they appear almost like a small group of characters, each with its own posture and mood.

A particularly expressive element is the contrast between the white birds and the dense greenery behind them. Tall vertical reeds form a rich natural wall and create a strong rhythmic background. Greens, blues, yellowish tones, and darker strokes overlap and merge, suggesting the movement and abundance of coastal vegetation.

Detail of the painting “Albatrosses. Bilosaraiskyi Nature Reserve”.

The soft pink area across the middle of the composition unexpectedly softens the green-and-blue palette. It adds a decorative quality while separating the world of the birds from the dense vegetation in the background. At the bottom, a deep blue band of water creates another strong colour contrast.

The entire composition is built through the interaction of several large fields of colour: blue sky, dense green reeds, a soft pink middle ground, dark water, and the almost white figures of the birds. This balance allows the work to remain recognisably connected with nature while also giving it a bold decorative character.

In this painting, the nature of the Donetsk region appears vivid, colourful, and far removed from the region’s usual industrial image. There is no industrial noise here — only birds, water, reeds, open sky, and a sense of space. Such subjects make it possible to see the region more broadly and to discover its natural diversity.

“Albatrosses. Bilosaraiskyi Nature Reserve” is a painting about life near the water, the closeness of wild nature, and the beauty of places that often remain outside the familiar image of Donbas. The birds become the central characters of the landscape and, at the same time, symbols of freedom, movement, and a natural world that follows its own rhythms.

Within the large-scale artistic project “Picturesque Guide to Ukraine”, this work expands the artistic portrait of the Donetsk region through its natural heritage. Alongside mining history, cities, architecture, and the Sea of Azov, the project also introduces the world of birds and protected landscapes — another important part of the region’s identity.

→ Explore the Donetsk Region in “Picturesque Guide to Ukraine”

→ Discover the “Picturesque Guide to Ukraine” project

Artwork Details

Original Artwork & Collectible Fine Art Prints

The painting “Albatrosses. Bilosaraiskyi Nature Reserve” is an original artwork by Marina Stognieva, painted by hand in oil on paper and existing as a unique one-of-a-kind work.

Collectible Fine Art Prints personally signed by Marina Stognieva may also be available for selected works. Available formats, materials, prices, and other details can be discussed before ordering.

Payment & Worldwide Shipping

Payment can be made via PayPal, bank transfer, or another agreed method.

Worldwide shipping is available. Shipping costs and estimated delivery times are calculated individually depending on the destination and order details.

The artwork on paper is carefully packaged to protect the painted surface and ensure safe transportation. All purchase, payment, and international shipping details can be discussed directly with the artist before ordering.

“I wanted to show the Donetsk region through a completely different image — not industrial, but alive and connected with nature. Birds, water, reeds, and open sky are also an important part of how I remember and imagine this land.”

— Marina Stognieva