Biography

Ia

Natalia Elerdashvili was born in the family of hereditary geologists and since her childhood has been dreaming to dedicate her life to this science. In 1971, willing to continue family tradition, Natalia enters the Faculty of Geology of the Georgian Technical University. Passion for graphic arts has come around suddenly, the ‘Godfather’ became the Russian famous actor Vitali Doronin who while visiting Elerdasvili’s family presented to little Natalia a set of pastels. The first drawings performed in pastels were highly valued by Georgian well-known artists such as Ucha Japaridze and Lado Gudiashvili. While continuing her studies at the Faculty of Geology, Natalia attends Georgian Academy of Arts and is keen on portrait graphic arts.

In 1981 Natalia makes her first steps in oil painting. Her first works are ‘Tulips’, ‘Daughter’s sleep’ and ‘The yard opposite’. Feeling the insufficiency of art knowledge, she enters the Faculty of Graphic Arts and Painting of the Tbilisi State University and at the same time works as a geologist.

After the tragic death of her husband Natalia is left with seriously ill mother and six year old daughter. Everyday problems, household chores seemed never ending. Less and less spare time is left for the favorite work – art. From 1981 to 1986 Natalia is taking an active participation in students’, republicans’ and all-union exhibitions of folk art. In 1985 Natalia is invited to participate in the exhibition-meeting of artists with young scientists, held at the Club of Young Scientists in Tbilisi. The artist proves herself in various genres of fine arts, however, the principle place in her art work is taken by landscapes.

Landscapes are painted from nature and motives are simple, familiar from the childhood (‘Old house in Kiketi’ (1981), The Monastery in Kakheti region – ‘Old Shuamta’ (1982)). Carved balconies, narrow stairs of Old Tbilisi: ‘Morning in Old Tbilisi’ (1987), ‘It is snowing’ (1988). Composition nurtured in the heart, sometimes is immediately transferred on to the canvas: ‘Kojori forest’ (1986), but at times the work on the art piece lasts not even for months, but years, when numerous sketches are drawn: ‘Child’s cry has choked’ (1984) (Concentration Camp ‘Salaspils’), ‘Broken window’ (1984).

Georgian simple household goods, the yields of Georgian soil are Mrs. Elerdashvili’s favorite characters: ‘Caucasian abundance’ (1987), ‘Three pomegranates’ (1984).

In 1988, at the first personal exhibition, more than twenty paintings were exhibited, as well as graphic art and sculptural miniatures. The miniatures are hand made including tiny details with subsequent kilning. Lots of time is dedicated to the study of literature – costumes, peculiarities of Georgian cutlure and history: ‘Luarsab and Darejan’, ‘Pirosmani’, ‘Loving couple’, ‘Chatters’, ‘Bakery’, ‘Tipsy kintos’, ‘Karachokhelis’ binge on the raft’, ‘Beggar’, etc.

In 1989 – the first creative trip to Moscow. Natalia is invited to exhibit her sculptural miniatures at the exhibition organized within the framework of the meeting of ‘Professional club of cinematographers’.

The subsequent count of the continuous creative work of Mrs. Elerdashvili starts from 1997, when the hardship of the civil war of and the subsequent devastation were left behind. Natalia joins the Georgian Union of Artists as a professional artist. In 2000 – the creative trip of the artist to the Great Britain. Natalia is participating in the 15th Anniversary exhibition at ‘Hanover Fine Arts’ Gallery in Edinburgh, where paintings such as ‘The First Blossom’ and ‘Snowfall in Edinburgh’ where displayed. In 2001 – personal exhibition at the ‘Georgian Designers’ All National Creative Union’. In 2002 – personal exhibition at the’Georgian National Art Gallery’ with more than 60 paintings. The greatest attention of the visitors was caught by the works such as: ‘Running over the waves’, ‘Rainbow’, ‘Straw bonnet’, ‘Blue flowers’ and ‘Sunset’. The same year the personal exhibition at the US Embassy in Tbilisi was held.

In 2003 Natalia Elerdashvili is exhibiting her works at the UN House in Tbilisi. And the same year another creative trip of the artist to the United States, where she is participating in the exhibition at the ‘Ward-Nasse Gallery’ in New York. The following paintings were put on display: ‘Old Violine’, ‘Lake Lisi’, ‘Sunset’, ‘In London Park’. In 2004 Natalia is organizing her personal exhibition at the Gallery ‘Kopala’ in Tbilisi, exhibiting over 30 paintings. In May 2005 Mrs. Elerdashvili was invited to organize her personal exhibition at the gallery ‘Galerie Etienne de Causans’ in Paris. More than twenty art works were presented, including: ‘Seagulls on the sunset’, ‘Pink Flowers, ‘Midday in the forest’, ‘Red flowers’, ‘Bird of happiness’, ‘Nostalgie’. Following Paris exhibition, in 2008, Natalia exhibited her works in Italy, in the town of Perugia. In 2012 Natalia participated in the mural exhibition organized by the US Embassy in Bangladesh for the World Earth Day. In 2013 she was invited to exhibit her works at the Gallery of the Institute of Asian Creatives in Dhaka where the visitors were impressed by a number of peaces including ‘The Last Dance’, ‘Revelation’, ‘Family’, and others.

The artist is included into the directory ‘Who is Who in the Georgian Contemporary Art’, as well as the German edition of the ‘World Biographical Dictionary of Artists’.

Translate »