Aigul Ivanova

Сountry: Kyrgyzstan

Field of activity: designer, poet

My name is Agul Ivanova (Tursagulova). I was born in Almaty City, however I spent my childhood and most of my life in Ungurtas Village which is in Almaty Region. I’m 63. I have loved painting since I was a child. Since Grade 5 I was a permanent freelance correspondent for children’s newspapers such as “DruzhnyeRebyata” (Tight-Knit Kids) and “Pionerskaya Pravda” “Pioneer’s Truth”. I wrote poems, short tales about my school’s life and painted. When I became a bit older I started sending my poems to “OgniAlatau” (Alatau Lights) newspaper agency.

Having graduated from school I worked as a primary school teacher. After several years I was offered a job as a Director of Village House of Culture. There I had worked for 11 years. During that time I initiated a Teenager Center which included 9 clubs.

In 1981 I successfully passed admission exams to Lenindrad Higher School of Arts named after N.Krupskaya. In 1989 I returned to school and completed art courses and got art teacher’s qualification. Thus, I continued my creative journey. Though I have never held my personal exhibition, I decorated everything in my village: school, hospital, boarding school, kindergarten, billboards of all kinds, slogans and placards on holidays.

In 2001, I entered and graduated from Almaty University of Continuing Education as a designer.

At present, I live in Almaty City and work at Miras International School as an art teacher and a designer. Also, I keep on writing poems, sketching and drawing. I do not keep my works, but give them to people as gifts. I am proud of my students who have won and keep winning prize places during a variety of exhibitions and competitions.

I have a daughter Svetlana, son-in-law Murat, Grandchildren-Sabina and Rollan, whom I love very much. Sabina studies in the fourth grade, an excellent pupil, she does gymnastics, yoga and mental arithmetic. Rollan is an “innate specialist — computer programmer” He is four years old. We live together joyfully and amicably.