MYSELF
Hello, I’m Andrey Strelnikov, a passionate jeweller and proud graduate of the Almaty College of Decorative and Applied Arts. My path into the realm of jewelry is deeply rooted in family tradition, as my mother, aunt, and grandfather were all esteemed jewellers. Carrying forward their legacy, I am dedicated to continuing the artistry and craftsmanship that has been passed down through generations. Each piece I create is a tribute to our family’s heritage and a testament to the timeless beauty of fine jewelry.
GRANDFATHER
My grandfather, Vladimir Savtchenkov, is a renowned jeweller and artist from Almaty, Kazakhstan. Born in 1941 in the Moscow region of Russia, his family was evacuated to Kazakhstan during World War II. He grew up in Dzhambul and graduated with honors from the School of Artistic Metal Processing of currently Russian State University of Design and Applied Arts in 1969.
Vladimir Savtchenkov and his wife, Tatyana Savtchenkova, both graduates of the same institution, moved to Almaty in 1969 to work at the "Souvenir" factory. They were awarded bronze medals at the VDNH of the USSR in 1973 for their contributions to the development of the national economy. In 1978, they established a souvenir workshop at the "Oner" Artistic plant, which included jewellery and gem-cutting studios. Throughout their careers, they participated in numerous national and international exhibitions.
In 1980 Vladimir Savtchenkov became a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR and was featured in the catalog "Soviet Jewellers". His exhibition history includes:
- Republican Exhibition dedicated to the 60th anniversary of Kazakhstan, 1981
- Republican Exhibition dedicated to the 60th anniversary of Kazakhstan, 1981.Republican Exhibition marking the 250th anniversary of Kazakhstan's voluntary accession to Russia, 1982
- Republican Exhibition "Artists to the People"
- National Exhibition "Artists to the People", 1982
- Republican Exhibition "Land and People" celebrating 30 years of virgin land development, 1984
- Republican Exhibition dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the Victory, 1985
- Republican Exhibition "We are Building Communism", 1986
- Republican Exhibition "Spring", 1987
- Exhibition "Country of Soviets", 1987
- Jewellery Exhibition in Berlin, Germany
- In independent Kazakhstan, he participated in the 1995 anniversary exhibition in Paris, "The Century of Bijouterie"
MOM AND AUNT
My mother, Olga Savtchenkova, born in 1967, is a distinguished applied arts artist. She graduated from the Almaty Art School named after Gogol in 1987 and later from the Almaty State Theatre and Art Institute (now the Kazakh National Academy of Arts named after Zhurgenov) in 1993. A member of the Union of Artists of Kazakhstan since 2007, she has participated in notable exhibitions, including the All-Union Exhibition "Country of Soviets" in 1987, an international exhibition in India in 1988, and various national exhibitions.
My aunt, Elena Savtchenkova, born in 1971, is a skilled jeweller who trained in the craft under her father’s guidance. In 1996, she participated in a young jewellers' competition in St. Petersburg, commemorating the 150th anniversary of Carl Fabergé, and was awarded a jubilee medal. The exhibition was organized by the Fabergé Art Foundation.
From 1992 to 1997, she, along with Vladimir Savtchenkov, took part in the "World of Stone" exhibitions held in Moscow and St. Petersburg, where she received several diplomas for her work.
The artwork of my family can be found in private collections and museums across Kazakhstan, as well as in the form of diplomatic gifts in 30 countries worldwide.
In recognition of their artistry, in 2013, Vladimir Savtchenkov was awarded the Franz Birbaum Memorial Foundation's Grand Cross, and in 2014, he received the Karl Fabergé Memorial Foundation’s "Court Jeweller" Order.
In 2014, Tatyana Savtchenkova, Olga Savtchenkova, and Elena Savtchenkova were honored with the Mikhail Perkhin Memorial Foundation’s Order of Merit.