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Leon Oks
Born	(1939-03-16)March 16, 1939 Zhytomyr, Ukraine
Nationality	Russian/Ukrainian, American
Education	College of Construction and Architecture (1954-1958), Zhytomyr School of Fine Art (1960-1964)
Known for	Colorful depictions of Russian villages of his youth, and the feminine life force in nature

Leon Oks is a contemporary modern American artist known for his idyllic landscapes of Russian villages and forests from his boyhood, as well as sensual works of the feminine life force in nature. His expressionistic style captures the joy, emotion, beauty and sorrow of life with a vibrant use of color and composition which has earned him international acclaim and drawn comparisons to Picasso, Chagall, Monet and Klimt.

Early Life

Leon Oks was born on March 16, 1939 in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, which was then part of Russia. At the age of two, Leon lost his father in World War II. Oks was raised by his widowed mother Pesya (born 1915) and grandparents Itzhak and Sonya Kaminir, who fled their village to escape the German occupation.

Throughout the war, Oks and his family – including sister Maryia Magarycheva (born 1937) and brother Zisi (born 1940) were forced to relocate often, moving from one safe, unoccupied town to another. After the war ended in 1945, the family returned to Zhytomyr, living together in a one-room, 14-square meter house.

From the time he was a boy, the only true constant in Oks’ life was art. By the age of six, he began drawing, and soon moved on to watercolors, frequently working at night while the rest of his family slept.

“As a child, long before he could even write, Oks recalls being seduced by the works of such great masters of Renaissance art as Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. ‘I was drawn to tracing these beautiful images, and only much later did I realize that I was naturally drawn to the very best of human possibilities.’” [2]

“I spent each evening in our tiny kitchen, looking at the reproductions in the few art books my family owned. My local art museum also served as a sort of informal school which acquainted my eye with the beauty of oil on canvas. I was also drawn to create studies from nature and spent many days walking through the nearby woods, parks and streets, observing the awesome beauty and grandeur that surrounded my town.” [3]

One gallery owner notes that, despite Oks’ “lost childhood” [4], “his paintings incredibly capture sylvan scenes and cozy Ukrainian villages; memories of the beautiful moments that flood his canvas...he sketches rapid, realistic life studies or landscapes from which emerges an emotion, a memory or a mood...His sensitivity to and awe of Nature is revealed to us through the use of complex colors, which only exist in Leon’s imagination and on his canvases. His palette is soft but warm, which is what makes his paintings so approachable and embraceable, and therefore, makes his art hopeful and optimistic.” [5]

Others have described Oks’ paintings as “a beautiful, sensual, luscious force of nature that warms the eyes, the heart and the soul.” [6]

Education

Oks received his formal education and training in his native Ukraine. He earned a degree in drafting and architecture from the College of Construction and Architecture (1954-1958), and later studied his craft at the Zhytomyr School of Fine Art (1960-1964) under inspiring instructors like Vladimir Kobilinsky.

Personal Life

At the age of 40, Oks and his family immigrated to the United States. They settled in the Chicago area, where the artist immediately found a receptive audience for his works, despite years of Soviet pushback, which had caused him to doubt his talent: “‘I never felt that I was good enough’...His first big break came when he decided to go door to door after work one day, and simply show his work to any gallery in downtown Chicago that would care to look. He didn’t have to go far – the very first gallery Oks stopped at accepted his pieces – and he has never looked back.” [11]

Oks credits the move to America for giving his creativity its full expression after decades of artistic censorship in his native country: “I felt persecuted...I understood that I would not be able to paint what I wanted. If I painted, I would have to hide it somewhere...I’m such a patriot for this country. I accomplished what I could only dream of.” [12]

Living in Niles, Illinois, Oks remains fully active and engaged in the arts, whether creating and exhibiting his own works, or teaching others in his Buffalo Grove studio: “Oks loves the freedom of expression that painting encourages. ‘As an art instructor, I tell my students to develop their own individuality. Admire the masters, but you must have your own style.’” [13]

Books

Leon Oks: Dreamscape, published by the World of Art, 2007, by Petru Russu. ISBN-13: 978-9189685192 ISBN-10: 9189685199

In addition: his art has frequently been anthologized in American and European publications highlighting contemporary masters.

International Exhibitions

Oks’ paintings are in the permanent collections of six internationally renowned museums, most notably the Museum of Modern Art (Moscow), Russian State Museum of Art, and Museum of Contemporary Art (both in St. Petersburg). His works can also be found at the Museum of the Americas (Miami), Latino Art Museum (Pomona, CA), Italia in Arte (Italy), The Schacknow Museum of Fine Arts (Plantation, Florida), as well as in private collections and the offices of major corporations around the world.

Oks has participated in more than 60 of the world’s most prestigious art shows, including numerous solo exhibitions, and has won first-place awards in juried art shows across the United States and abroad. In 2012, he was personally invited to the “World of Art Showcase” at the Wynn Resort in Las Vegas, where his work was featured alongside such legendary artists as Nelson Shanks and H.R. Giger.

Awards & Recognition

2016 INTERNATIONAL AWARD "PLATFORM": Best artist in 2016, organized by Redwood Media Group 2016 HONORABLE MENTION at the exhibition "2016 PERSPECTIVE" Museum Of The Americas, USA 2015 THE INTERNATIONAL AWARD PIETER PAUL RUBENS, June, 27 2015, Italy 2014 The Best 2014 Modern and Contemporary Artists. Palermo, Italy 2014 Outstanding People in the Arts Today. For Significant Accomplishment in the field of Modern and Contemporary Art. England 2013 First Price Huston Award, INTERNATIONAL HUSTON SHOW 2012 Diploma Cacciano 2012 in “The Golden Medal of Fabriano Award – Cacciano” Art Competition, Italy 2011 "Vincent Van Gogh" by Italian Association of Art "Italia in Arte" For Artistic skills reported by many experts on Artas well as through national and International publications 2010 "David Di Michelangelo" by Italian Association of Art "Italia in Arte" For Artistic skills reported by many experts on Art as well as through national and International publications. 2009 "The Leonardo da Vinci’s true face" by Italian Association of Art “Italia in Arte" For Artistic skills reported by many experts on Art as well as through national and International publications. 2008 Diploma Di Merito, Galleria D’arte Moderna "Alba", Ferrara, Italy 2008 Selected as a Charter Member of the Leading Intellectuals of the World American Biographical Institute 2007 Gold Medal for the United States by virtue of extreme contributions and commitment to International Contemporary Art American Biographical Institute 2007 Eminent Fellow: Associate Professor of Arts American Biographical Institute 2007 World’s Most Respected Experts in the Field of International Contemporary Art American Biographical Institute 2007 Best in Show, "5th May International Salon" Museum of the Americas, Miami 2006 Specialized Certification of Expertise in International Contemporary Art American Biographical Institute 2005 Master Diploma for specialty honors in International Contemporary Art World Academy of Letters 2005 Diploma of Excellence Global Art Annual Competition "Art Now", London, England 2005 First Place Award, International Art Competition "JUST PAINT 2005" Artrom Gallery, Rome, Italy 2005 The Best in Art and Creativity, The World of Art Award, England 2005 Top 100 Contemporary Artist International Biographical Centre of Cambridge, England 2004 First Place Award, Best of the Show, "International Summer Show" Latin American Art Museum, Florida 2004 International Visual Artist of the Year International Biographical Centre of Cambridge, E 2004 Professional Associated Academician of Arts GRECI-MARINO International Academy, Italy 2004 First Place Award, International Show “Encounters” Museum of the Americas, Miami 2000 Silver Brush Award and Award of Excellence. International Juried Art Competition, ORT Institute, Chicago