Shapkin Oleg Ivanovich was born in 1955 in the town of Svobodniy, Amur Region (East of Russia). Now he lives in the village of Semenishchevo, next to village of Fedoskino.
In 1974 the artist finished Fedoskino Art School, his teachers were Gennadiy Larishev and Davydov . Continued his education in Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture after Repin (in Leningrad/St. Petersburg) and graduated from it in 1987. On graduating from the Repin's Institute the artist wrote the book "Combination of styles in the Fedoskino lacquered miniature" and submitted his graduation project on this theme.
Oleg Shapkin is a Laureate of the Artist's Union Prize of USSR (1985). He is a participant of different exhibitions in Russia and abroad since 1977. His works are exhibited in different museums such as the Russian State Museum(St.Petersburg), the Moscow Regional Art Museum situated in the town of Istra and the State Historical Museum.
Oleg Shapkin's works are: "Dream" (1995), "Pushkin and Gypsies" (1994) and some others, which can be found in latest books on Russian Lacquer Art.
Oleg paints his works in the style of Fedoskino using oil paints. Themes of his works are various, but most of all he likes to depict genre scenes.
The artist’s works are easy to recognize by individual manner of painting ,untraditional building of composition and unique golden ornament.
Paintings of the Renaissance and the Classicism epochs and also Russian realism had a great influence on the artist’s creative work.
Shapkin is a Member of the Union of Artists of Russia.
Oleg is married to a well-known Fedoskino artist Galina Nikolaevna Kareva (1954), who help him in his works .They have a son Kyril.
In his free time the artist likes to travel and remodeling his house.