LA JOLLA — In a great painting, a simple object can become a thing of great and enduring beauty. A flower, a piece of fruit or a vase can be imbued by the artist with a sort of magical realism that can touch one deeply. The play of light on the object, the dazzling colors or the ever-shifting balance of reality and fantasy can fascinate and change how one looks at the world. Regina Lyubovnaya, a young Russian-born painter who will be featured at Monarch Gallery (1205 Prospect Street) through the month of January, is one such artist who has the skills of the old masters. She paints everyday and ordinary objects, turning them into enduring gems and masterpieces that can help others re-examine the way they see. Lyubovnaya has been described as possessing “the light of Rembrandt, the theatrical dramatics of Ribera and the bare simplicity of Velasquez.” She adds a modern feel to the classical style of Romantic Realism. Her paintings, done in oil on Masonite board, are realistic, rich, bold, dramatic, colorful and exquisite. They show highly refined craftsmanship and artistic sensibility. Her paintings on view at Monarch follow two themes: There are flower arrangements, specifically English garden roses in a vase on a dark marbled table; or there are Asian-themed still lifes, featuring a vase, fruit, exotic birds and a Tang Dynasty figurine. Lyubovnaya’s interest in painting was first sparked by visits with her grandparents to the National Museum of Art in Moscow. She attended the Moscow School of Arts and Crafts and then immigrated to America where she attended Loyola Marymount University and the Pasadena Art Center College of Design. She has had additional training at the Florence Academy of Art in Italy and has studied in New York with acclaimed artist David Leffel. In the December 2010 issue of American Art Collector Magazine, Lyubovnaya describes her work: “I paint to express beauty of the abstract nature of light moving across each object and creating harmony of the whole painting. Beauty and simplicity are somehow in the same neighborhood.” The Monarch website said Lyubovnaya paints because “there is nothing like being in a state of meditation, translating reality into the laying of paint.” Lyubovnaya has had some major changes in her life as of late. She recently married, had a baby and moved from California to New Jersey. Rather than being disruptive of her work, she said these changes have made her “more focused and more direct.” “I’ve intentionally been using more paint, more texture and more visual brush strokes,” she said. “The work is more intense.” Derek and Lynn Stone, two collectors of Lyubovnaya who were mentioned in American Art Collector said, “You feel like you can literally walk into Regina’s paintings, eat its fruit, smell the flowers and feel the textures of the surrounding still life.” There will be a wine reception for Lyubovnaya on Saturday, Jan. 15 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Monarch Gallery. Lyubovnaya will give a painting exhibition and will be available for photographs with patrons. All visitors will receive a copy of American Art Collector. To RSVP or for further information call (858) 454-1231 or e-mail [email protected].