Yuri Sleptsov, a Siberian artist based in Yakutsk, Russia

Hereby I present Yuri Sleptsov‘s art works. His drawings are done on a plastic board with the use of a scalpel. Such a technique is called scratchboard or scraperboard (grattazh, in Russian). Learn more about it on Wiki.

Yuri prefers to use the plastic, as it provides the sharp contrast between white lines and the black inked background. This technique is used very rarely. The drawing might be created in the course of several weeks, months or even year. A hard work. One little mistake might spoil the whole art piece.

Yuri Sleptsov started drawing in the scraperboard style in 1991. Since that, he participated in many various exhibits and was awarded for originality and fine technique.

He didn’t graduate any arts schools. Yuri used to be an economist, retailor, auditor. Currently, he is devoted to ethnographic researches. Does a lot to keep Eveni children’s summer nomad camp in Momsky region, North-East Yakutia.

Read the rest of this entry…

In February, as you might already know, I experienced just a magic reindeer sledding expedition across valleys and rivers of Oymyakon, East Yakutia, Russia’s Siberia. With the Even nomad family of the Cherkashins. Well, it was a sort of expedition to me, but not to reindeer herders. They considered two-day travel as a regular neighbourhood visit.

No more words from me. Enjoy 70+ photographs.

Read the rest of this entry…

Hereby, I am publishing Yegor Makarov’s photographs of Yakutian horse riders from different horse trekking expeditions across the Republic of Sakha-Yakutia, Russia’s Siberia.

Yegor Makarov is a successful businessman, who lives and runs the Muus Khaya entertaining complex in Yakutsk, Russia. His big addiction is to travel across his vast homeland, and he is a big fan of the Yakutian horse, Yakutia-orginated horse breed.

Currently, he is making a documentary and a book about the Yakutian horse. Meanwhile, he shares his passion with you.

Read the rest of this entry…

This winter scene is good for a Merry Christmas card, though reindeer here is in his natural environment… in Oymyakon, one of the coldest inhabited places in the world. Located in Republic of Sakha-Yakutia, East Siberia & the Far East, Russia.

This magic is brought from my recent reindeer sledding with Even nomads through valleys, rivers, hills and mountains.

See more videos. Read the rest of this entry…

Feel Yakutia in winter a little bit. Put the photo of Oymyakon’s Indigirka River on your desktop.

Download wallpaper: 1366×768, 1280×800, 1024×768, 1280×1024.

The photographs were taken on the road between Oymyakon and Khandyga in the mountain part of the Kolyma Highway known also as Stalin’s Road of Bones.

When we were driving, the outdoor temperature was as low as -55C. In the beginning of the way, i.e. in the village of Tomtor in the Oymyakon area, we registerd -57.3C. Extremely cold. Not surprised that the Kolyma road is considered by many as the coldest one in the world.

Read the rest of this entry…

A friend of mine, Vyacheslav Ipatiev, who is the founder and CEO of YakutiaTravel LLC, has developed a new unique route for extreme cold hunters.

He gives a chance to embark an adventure journey on reindeer sleds across the Valley of Oymyakon, one of the coldest parts of Yakutia, Siberia / Russia.

10-day sledding in the Siberian extreme cold weather. From the village of Uchugey to the village of Oymyakon. The temp is as low as -55 C or even less. And, yeah, night spending in nomads’ sleeping bags in nomads’ tents. In short, it’s the coolest expedition experience!

Cold hunting trip description is available here.

See more cold adventure pictures… Read the rest of this entry…

A railway station in Nizhnyj Bestyakh in front of Yakutsk on the opposite bank of the Lena River. Photo by Dmitry Medvedev.

Yep, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Yakutsk. He arrived right from Hawaii this night.

The purpose of his official visit is to discuss the issues related to housing and communal services and participate in the opening of the last constructed branch line of the railway Berkakit — Tommot — Yakutsk in the settlement of Nizhnyj Bestyakh. This place is located in front of Yakutsk on the opposite bank of the Lena River.

Amazing! The half of the day I had been waiting from local journalists for any photographs of the event, especially of the Nizhnyj Bestyakh event. But… it appeared to be Dmitry Medvedev, who took a picture and uploaded it on his Twitter account @MedvedevRussia.

President Medvedev said that the railway must come to Yakutsk via the bridge over the Lena River, not through the tunnel.

Read the rest of this entry…

Dersu (his blog) is great! Last August he and his friend, Sergey Ermak, completed another trekking expedition, but this time to Palatka Mountain, one of the biggest glaciers in East Yakutia, Siberia / Russia.

Dersu’s previous trekkings across Yakutia:

- Kyuellyakh Moustakh River Expedition, Yakutia/Siberia
- The Momsky Range, East Yakutia/Siberia

Palatka Mountain is located in Suntar-Khayata Range in the area of the upper Suntar River. Considered as the third highest point (2797 m) after Pobeda Peak (3147 m) and Mus Khaya Mountain (2959 m).

Read the rest of this entry…

Wildfires in Yakutia, North-Eastern Siberia, Russia

Just to let you know what’s going on in Yakutia, Siberia / Russia. The summer 2011 appeared to be extremely hot. Last three weeks we had temperatures much above +30C. There were days with +42C. As a result, our precious forest (taiga) got set on fire immediately. Taiga is vulnerable.

Here is what yesterday YSIA News Agency informed. Note: the text was translated by Sayyna Gogoleva and published without proof-reading.

Read the rest of this entry…