Olga A. Sweet earned a bachelor’s degree and two masters’ degrees in art and philosophy from Moscow Imperial University.  Ms. Sweet studied portraiture privately with the late Ronald Sherr, Chris DiDomizio, and the late Dr. Robert Reed.

Mr. Sherr was one of the preeminent portraitists of the 20th and 21st centuries; his portraits are in the National Portrait Gallery and some of the finer private collections in the world.  Ms. Sweet also owes a great debt of gratitude to Mr. DiDomizio for his refined taste and matchless skills.  Dr. Reed was Professor of Painting at the Yale University School of Art; he was the founder and director of the Institute for Studio Studies in Auvillar, France.

On Ms. Sweet’s work, August Uribe, the former Vice Chairman of Fine Art at Sotheby’s, has written:

Olga Sweet’s faithful portraits pay homage to the masters of centuries past as well as tipping her hat to Contemporary artists who redefined figuration in the second half of the 20th century.  Sweet apprenticed under the great Ronald Sherr (1952-2022).  Although Sherr’s tutelage is reflected by her distinct, punctuated brushwork, Sweet’s vision remains her own.  Her sitters’ essence is uniquely captured by succinct, yet animated paint application.  Her pigments, carefully chosen, capture the character and personality of her subjects.  Now that social media has overwhelmed our ability to truly appreciate someone’s likeness, Olga Sweet’s portraits triumph.

 The Archduke Dr. Geza von Habsburg, the former Chairman of Christie’s Europe, has written:

Olga Sweet’s beautiful paintings are in the tradition of such contemporary artists as Pietro Annigoni and Alejo Vidal-Quadras — who, like her, also captured the likenesses of 20th century celebrities.  I personally enjoy Olga’s looser, sketchier renderings of her subjects.

Articles on Ms. Sweet’s work have appeared in Palm Beach Illustrated, Greenwich Magazine, Sunday Arts & Style, WAG, New Canaan, Darien + Rowayton Magazine, Bedford & New Canaan Magazine, and other publications.

One of the more recent exhibitions of Ms. Sweet’s works, Compassion for Trees, took place at the Craven Contemporary Gallery in Kent, Connecticut.