Today, after a long and challenging life journey, he has returned to the world of art and has become a well-known master.
Rakhimdulaev was born on October 18, 1968, in the village of San-Tash, located in the Tyup district.
From an early age, Suyunbek showed an interest in painting, inspired by his uncles on his mother's side, who were excellent artists. He was particularly impressed by military scenes—tanks and soldiers—which left an indelible mark on his memory.
“It all started in childhood. My uncles were real artists. I was always around when they came to visit, and I would ask them to draw something, but unfortunately, they did not have formal art education,” he shared.
The artist recalls that he always had the ability to see images around him and lived in a world of fantasies. He loved reading books with beautiful illustrations and, during his school years, held a position on the editorial board, receiving his first recognition by winning first place in a drawing contest at a summer camp.
In the 8th and 9th grades, he created an album of drawings depicting poets, writers, and their characters as assigned by his literature teacher.
In 1985, Suyunbek became a student at the art and graphics faculty of the Karakol Pedagogical Institute. From 1986 to 1989, he served in the Navy, but even there, he continued to engage in art.
“I served in the Navy for three years starting in 1986. At the invitation of the commander in the garrison of Gadzhievo-Severomorsk, I painted my first large canvas measuring 3 by 4 meters. I never parted with a pencil, even in the army. Together with two other artists, we painted three walls of the barracks. At that time, I didn’t think much of it, but now I am proud of what I did,” he noted.
Rakhimdulaev shared amusing stories related to his military service and artistic creativity:
“When I was on duty at the checkpoint, officers would pass through with their passes. There was a very beautiful female officer serving in the garrison. I drew her portrait and hung it on the board at the checkpoint. She appreciated my work and even brought me sweets. Soon, officers began to order portraits of their families. One day, I found an old tabletop at a dump, cleaned it up, and painted mountains and the sea on it; the commander hung this work in his office.”
After graduating from the institute, Suyunbek got married and received a scholarship, but life's difficulties and family responsibilities temporarily distracted him from creativity. He went through tough times during the collapse of the Soviet Union when he had to take any job to support his family and feed his children. Despite invitations from galleries in Bishkek, he could not leave for family reasons.
In some years, the artist completely abandoned painting and switched to wood carving and carpentry. However, he realized that art was his calling and returned to creativity. Some of his paintings were sold to Russia and abroad— to the USA, the UK, and Germany.
Suyunbek is the father of six children: four daughters and two sons. Two of his daughters have become seamstresses and work on orders, one of the children is passionate about crafts, and the twins show talent in drawing.
Nature serves as the foundation of his creativity, as every moment is unique.
“I find inspiration in nature—there are no repeating moments; it is full of beauty, character, and hidden feelings that cannot be expressed in words,” says the artist.
He prefers to create works in which nature and life speak for themselves.
Rakhimdulaev also recalled one of his memorable works:
“Once, during a snowstorm, I decided to depict the Karakol Gorge. I tried to capture every moment, and the work turned out very well. But due to being in the cold for a long time, I then spent ten days in bed,” he confessed.
In the future, if health permits, the artist dreams of leaving behind classic works rich in philosophical content. He is more drawn to works that reflect small life episodes, silence, and mystery.
“I am interested in various techniques: oil, gouache, watercolor, acrylic, colored and simple pencils, pastel. In my style, I am closer to impressionism and realism, but I would like to try other directions as well,” he concluded.
