Alexander Pavlovich Povlavsky was born in 1959 in Kalach, Voronezh region. His first pieces were the result of studying in Viktor Rakitiansky’s studio. He was highly influenced from the beginning by the works of Mikhail Tkachev, the honored artist of Russia and academician who gave lessons to the young painter Alexander. (It is interesting to note that Tkachev in his turn was a student of Alexander’s grandfather, Peter Stefanovich Poplavsky.) Poplavsky graduated from the art school in Buturlinovka, Voronezh region and was then accepted into the Repin Institute of Art in St. Petersburg. Following his completion of six years at the Repin and the equivalent of his master’s degree, he was accepted as a member of the Artists’ Union of Russia in 1993.

Poplavsky was moved by the quiet beauty of the vast Kalakh lands. His numerous and various lyrical landscapes are both fresh and melancholy, reflecting these sentiments. His paintings are based on Russian traditions of realistic art. His works depict countryside motifs. His favorite themes are the wild places of the Black-Earth region.

Poplavsky has participated in numerous regional and republic (USSR) exhibitions.