Artist Tamara Magdalina was blessed to have parents who encouraged her artistic talent and taught her to see beauty and to love Nature.


“I began drawing when I was five years old," Tamara says. “I knew I wanted to be an artist. My gift came from my parents and from God. My parents thought education was very important." Tamara went to art school for children in her home town of Abakan, Siberia, until the age of fifteen, then moved to Krasnoyarsk to study at the Junior Art Academy for the next four years. It was there that she met her husband, Valeriy Kagounkin, and their life adventure began. After her graduation from the Junior Art Academy, Tamara's volunteer work led her to paint posters for a paper factory and also big events happening around the area.

After this service, with the help of God and the encouragement of her parents, Tamara decided to apply to the best art school in Russia. Tamara worked hard and studied endlessly and earned a place among the 15 students to attend the elite Moscow Art Academy of V. Surikov in 1981. Her husband, Valeriy was accepted to the premier school the year after she entered. It was a feat that hadn't been accomplished before. "It is rare for two people from the same small town to get into this school,” Tamara says. "But, for a husband and wife to both make it... it was a rare accomplishment and a blessing."

After graduating, Tamara, her husband, and young son, Anton-named after a beloved professor at the college--moved back to Siberia and worked as an assistant professors at the Krasnoyarsk art institute there. Tamara became Dean of the School. In 1998, Tamara and her family traveled to the United States and visited many places, learning the beauty of the land, and the culture of the people.

They eventually settled in Sacramento, California, and her second son, Dennis, was born in the United States. "During our life together, we traveled a lot,” Tamara says of her family. Tamara strongly believes in the family and teaching the children. She and Valeriy's own two sons, Anton and Dennis, are very accomplished students, artists, and musicians in their own right.

Today, Tamara continues to share her knowledge and teaches young children the joy and techniques of art. "The child is very eager to learn. They come into school with big eyes, almost a little scared," she says with a motherly smile. "I want to teach them how to see beauty and love Nature. It's a big responsibility to teach them. Even more important than teaching at University, because people keep for their whole life what they gathered as children" In her school, Tamara teaches the basics of traditional European art. "It is very interesting when a child sees something and wants to express themselves through art. It is very beautiful." Tamara and her family make it a point to use their art to unite all cultures. “Art has its own language," she says. "We need to love each other, no matter what."

Tamara's goal is in expressing Gods creation through her works. The nature and the land has the biggest passion for her.

She has won a Silver Medal from the United Nations for her contributions to culture and history, as well as many awards for the paintings she has exhibited. Tamaras works found home in the Contemporary Museum of Moscow and Historian Museum of Siberia, as well as private collections in Japan, Germany, Cyprus, Italy, Spain, and the United States.

-Chrisplatt

Exhibitions

Tamara Exhibited at March in Montana, Great Falls, MT 2016-2019

Tamara Exhibited at Mini Montana, Great Falls, MT 2016 - 2020

Tamara Exhibited at Charles Russell Museum Exhibit and Benefit Sale, Great Falls, MT 2017-2020

Tamara Exhibited at Old West Museum Western Spirit Art Show, Cheyenne, WY 2015-2021

Tamara Exhibited at National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Small works great wonders, Oklahoma City, OK 2018

Tamara Exhibited at Cattlemen’s Assoc Art Show & Sale, Paso Robles, CA 2017-2019

Tamara Exhibit at Phippen Museum Art Show and Sale, Prescott , AZ 2016-2022

Tamara Exhibited at National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, NV 2017-2019

Tamara Exhibited at Thunderbird Art Show, Tucson, AZ 2017

Tamara Exhibited at Draft Horse Classic, Grass Valley, CA 2018

Tamara Exhibited at Bosque Art Classic, Clifton, TX 2018 - 2021

Tamara Exhibited at Mountain Oyster Club, Tucson, AZ 2017-2019

Tamara Exhibited at the 2016 Slo-Poke Western Art Rodeo, Pismo Beach, CA 2017-2019

Tamara Exhibited at the California State Fair in Sacramento, CA, 2007, 2013-2015

Tamara Exhibited at Fort Ross, Sonoma County, CA, 2013-2019

Tamara Exhibited at the Russian Art Festival, San Francisco, CA, 2012-2020

Tamara Exhibited at the Art Academy in Moscow, Art University in Krasnoyarsk Siberia, and Art School for Youth in Abakan Khakassia, 2014 Exhibition was made possible and special thanks to: Aram Grigoryan, Pavel Arzumanov, Oleg Basaev, Vladimir Cherkashin

Tamara Exhibited at the Art Academy in Moscow and Art University in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, 2013 Exhibition was made possible and special thanks to: Aram Grigoryan, Pavel Arzumanov, Oleg Basaev, Vladimir Cherkashin

Tamara’s works are in private collections in Japan, Scotland, Germany, Cyprus, Italy, Russia, Spain, and the United States.

Publications:

2018: Western Art Collectors, "On the Courthouse Steps" Phippen Museum

Great Falls Tribune, “Star Struck: Country music artist Kristyn Harris shines at First Strike Friday Night” by Angie Windheim

2014: Tamara and Valeriy artists, Art book, "Vladimir Cherkashin publishing"