ABOUT THE ARTIST

Anatol Woolf showed an early gift and passion for visual art as a child in Russia. At the age of 11, he was selected from among thousands of applicants across Russia to study visual art full-time for seven years at the Special School of the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg. He later completed his college studies at the equally selective St. Petersburg Institute of Theater, Music and Cinematography, where he specialized in set design. At the outset of his career, Woolf worked as a set designer for prominent Russian theaters, an illustrator for St. Petersburg Textbook Publishers, and a freelance illustrator.

Since immigrating to America in 1987, Woolf has been working as a painter, freelance illustrator, designer, and art teacher. Woolf's work incorporates a variety of media including watercolor, pen and ink, colored pencils, oil, and acrylic. He also enjoys creating three-dimensional and digital art.

Woolf’s paintings have been featured in numerous exhibitions in the United States and Europe, and his illustrations have appeared in publications such as the Washington Post, National Geographic Traveler, Policy Review, Teacher, Legal Times, Chronicles, Spider, and Cricket Magazine. He has also illustrated books for Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company and Llewellyn Publications.

Meanwhile, Woolf has been teaching visual art to students of all ages and experience levels for over 30 years. His students have ranged from preschoolers to high schoolers to adults, both in academic and individual settings. Woolf’s students appreciate that he brings rigor and profound experience to their lessons — helping them make remarkable progress as they truly learn and master foundational art techniques. At the same time, Woolf’s friendliness and approachability create a welcoming learning environment for new and experienced art students alike.

Browse the unique items that Anatol Woolf creates, and discover the perfect gift!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/anatolwoolf

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"In Jaffa", oil on canvas, 18"x24".

Original painting has been sold to a buyer in Netherlands. 

Buyer's review:

The painting arrived safe and sound. Thank you very much. This is the first real piece of art I purchased. I'm excited to finally have it!

The painting feels warm, calm, and serene, even after one notices that the person is a soldier carrying an assault rife. I think it's essential that it's a female soldier – no other place has compulsory military service for women with actual combat roles. This painting captures so much of the unique and complex situation the place finds itself in.

It's a sunny alley in an ancient port city, and I can feel the warm silicate bricks with my eyes. There's a bicycle there, a quiet, easy, joyful, non-threatening form of transport. It's peaceful. The soldier in the painting is walking, walking like we all walk home after a day of work. Optically she fits in perfectly, and yet an armed soldier would usually be considered a foreign body in that type of scenery. It has always fascinated me how it can be such a normal sight for both young men and women with assault rifles going around just doing their job. A high price to pay, but one they consider worth it. To me, the painting captures that impression and the distinctiveness of the situation perfectly. It emits both serenity and eeriness, depending on my mood. I love it.

Date: Feb 18, 2024