Fort Smith (Dec 15/03) - Residents of Fort Smith are having a look at the world through the eyes of Elena Velitchko.

She is a Russian-born artist who has been living in Fort Smith for the past year.

Beginning last week and going to Dec. 31, a sampling of her work is on display at Northern Life Museum. The exhibit features 20 paintings in oils, watercolours and pastels.

Velitchko describes her paintings as figurative and stylistic. She is hearing impaired and communicated by sign language with the help of her partner, Tracy Freund.

She noted there are Russian influences in her work. Asked to point out some of those Russian images, she responded "everything."

Four or five of the paintings now on display were created in Fort Smith, and Velitchko believes her newer work probably also has Northern influences.

Velitchko hopes her paintings will be well received by Fort Smith residents.

"I hope they like them," she said.

The paintings are colourful and dynamic pieces of art. Velitchko, who is originally from St. Petersburg, has been a full-time painter for five years. The 40-year-old came to Canada over a decade ago as a member of a Russian theatre troupe performing at the Edmonton Fringe Festival.

She and three other members of the group stayed in Canada. She has already had three exhibits of her work at the Edmonton Fringe Festival.