Akhriev with his piece “Preparations” 2021.
Biography
Daud Akhriev was born in the former Soviet Union in 1959. He studied classical painting and drawing for 14 years, graduating with honors from the Repin Institute (Russian Academy of Fine Art) with a masters degree in fine art, under the tutelage of the late painter and Academic, Piotr Fomin. In 1991 he emigrated to Chattanooga, Tennessee. Akhriev, now a U.S. citizen, shares a home base in Chattanooga, Tennesee with his artist wife, Melissa Hefferlin.
Akhriev is internationally sought after as an instructor for figure and landscape painting and for his monumental work. The Four Seasons, his four 9 foot bronze figures completed for the city of Chattanooga, are listed on the national Public Art Registry. Additional public art includes the Erlanger Chapel Mosaic and the Baylor School Mosaic, as well as murals at the Collegedale Seventh-Day Adventist Church and St. Peter's Episcopal.
Daud Akhriev, Stylistic Pluralism was published in 2002 by Common Place publishing. He is also featured in Traditions Rediscovered, the Finley Collection of Russian Art. Akhriev’s drawings are in several books about the Repin Institute, both in Russian language and in Chinese, and in numerous magazines such as Artists Magazine, Pastel Journal, Island Journal, Chattanooga Magazine, Southern Living and American Art Collector.
Awards and Recognition
Art Renewal Center International Salon 17, Four-time finalist
Pastel Live 2024 Instructor/faculty
Watercolor Artist Magazine Feature “Traveling the Globe” by Kristin Hoerth Summer 2024
Portrait Society of America, Members Only Awards Awarded for “Tatiana” Non-Commissioned portrait 2024
Oil Painters of America Annual Convention, Awards Juror, winner of People’s Choice Award, Charleston 2023
Art Renewal Center 16th International Salon, winner Best Pastel, Sotheby’s NYC 2023
Pastel Journal April, 2023, Feature Article
24th Annual Pastel 100, Pastel Journal, 24th, Founder’s Award 2022
The International Portrait Competition, Portrait Society of America, Finalist and winner Southwest Art Award 2021
Art Renewal Center 15th Salon, Southwest Art Magazine Award, Barcelona 2021
Portrait Society of America, “Best Non-Commissioned Portrait” Members Only Competition, 2020
Pastel Journal, Feature article, August 2020
Pastel Journal, Feature article, August 2020
5th Bienale Internacional de Pintura Al Pastel, Hahnemuhle Award
Spain 2020
Oil Painters of America Annual Juried Exhibition, Master Signature Gold Medal USA 2019
Oil Painters of America Virtuosos Exhibition
Award of Excellence,
USA 2018
Oil Painters of America Annual Juried Exhibition, Most Original Master Signature Division, Award of Excellence, USA 2018
Spanish Pastel Biennial, Rembrandt Award, Oviedo, Spain 2018
Most Imaginative Painting, Oil Painters of America National Juried Exhibition, Steamboat Springs Museum of Art, Colorado 2018
Pastel 100, Pastel Journal, 2018
Pastel 100, Pastel Journal, 2017
Master Signature Status, Oil Painters of America, 2016
Silver Medal Winner, Oil Painters of American National Juried Exhibition, 2016
Grand Prize, Plein Air Magazine, Spring Competition 2016
Silver Prize, Plein Air Magazine, Spring Competition, 2016
Grand Prize, Pastel Journal 100, 2015
Second Portrait Prize, Pastel Journal 100, 2015
Finalist, Salon 2015 ARC, Figurative Work
Ten Best Mosaics 2015 (one of), Society of American Mosaic Artists, 2015
Winning Team, Erlanger Hospital Chapel Redesign competition, 2014-15 (with HK Architects)
Featured Artist, Hunter Museum Invitational Biennial Exhibition II, 2010
National Registry of Public Art for the Four Seasons
Chattanooga TN 2009
Best Still Life, Salon International, Greenhouse Gallery, 2008
Best Still Life and Second Place Overall, National Juried Show, Oil Painters of America 2006
Feature Article, Artists Magazine, Feb 2006
Daud’s philosophy about plein air painting in a nutshell.
A favorite subject explained.
Akhriev talks about learning watercolor painting.
““Akhriev’s dedication to detail is exquisite to the point of being other-worldly.””
“…artist, Daud Akhriev, captures in his paintings and pastels the contradictions and hardships of Maine coastal living in a collection of powerful and compelling images. …Akhriev’s waterfront scenes are complex and meticulous studies in color and form—a gigantic game of Pick-Up-Sticks, gone array. In each of his works, the docks, like the island inhabitants he portrays, appear to have reached an uneasy truce with a world where the power of nature is relentless and the flesh endures against all odds.””