Added Feb 22, 2020
I’m professional artist and art educator working from my studio in Sydney. I create colourful, whimsical, abstract paintings. I’ve been painting and drawing since my early childhood. Painting became my everyday practice, my source of energy, my dialogue with the world, my research of my own inner world.
My inspirations come from everyday life, an assortment of animals, nature, people and places. I am inspired by colour, shapes and movement. I love experimenting with mixed mediums, oils, acrylics, charcoal and inks to create different styles and textures. My paintings are inspired by memory, meditation, music and the culture and essence of Australian nature.
Nature is a constant inspiration in my work. I have always loved movement and colour – particularly the interplay of colour in nature – I strive to bring these qualities to my work for an affect which is very alive, yet also calming. This creative introspection allows me to produce art that is not only beautiful, but one-of-a-kind. I’ve been told again and again that this uncanny ability to illustrate the exceptional beauty of everyday life is what makes my artwork lovable.
Throughout my career, I’ve accumulated a vast repertoire of artistic techniques that have allowed me to better illustrate my intentions as an artist. My aim is to create unforgettable works and impart a deep emotional connection between objects and human beings whenever I begin a new piece. As a result, most of my work conveys the synthesis between Eastern and Western art, the figurative and the abstract, and the real and imaginary. What drives my art practice is an openness to possibilities, and a willingness to take on new challenges and engage creatively as often and in as many ways as I can.
I’m highly educated and experienced artist as well as an accomplished lecturer specializing in painting, graphics, and art history/theory. I graduated with a Master of Fine Arts in Painting at Omsk State University, with First Class Honours. About a year later, I began my 14 year career as a Fine Arts lecturer at the same university. During that time, from 1992 -1994, I took an Advanced Master Course in Fine Arts at the Repin State Academic Institute for Painting, Sculpture and Architecture in St. Petersburg, Russia as well as a Professional Fine Arts Master Class at V.I. Surikov State Academic Art Institute in Moscow, Russia.
I have been featured in prominent art galleries and exhibitions in Australia, Middle East, Russia, Europe and Asia. My artworks are in corporate and private collections all over the world.
Since arriving in Australia in 2005, I have been running my art school, Yelena Art Studio – Workshop, in Bondi and Artarmon (NSW), specialising in imparting a grasp of depth, tone and awareness of light in subjects to my students. Many of my students achieved great results in many art competitions.
I believe that my constant exposure to new ideas and types of art is what has allowed me to develop into the artist I am today.
I am a passionate artist and my ultimate aim is to focus on the quality of my work rather that the quantity of it and impart a small piece of myself as an artist into each and every one of my creations.
