I create work that connects you to the emotional landscapes of people and their environments
Growing up in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village neighborhood, I was immersed in the spirit of my culture, creating a curiosity around individuality and independence. I found my solace in pop culture, music and film. I looked up to the artists and changemakers who championed creative self expression. Inspired by rock, hip hop, punk and the compositional techniques used in fashion photography, my experience of being a female creative is forged by my determination to overcome adversity through creativity. I create work that offers up the energy to rise up.
I'm fascinated by people in relation to the atmosphere they are surrounded by. How a “sense of place" affects us, and the impact we have on our environment. I'm curious how the energy of a person influences what we see or ignore. The human face and figurative gesture is a universal language. Its interpretation can tell stories, transcend barriers and foster empathy across a whole spectrum of humanity.
My interest in the human form led me to study figure drawing at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago at a young age. I went on to pursue a degree in Visual Communications from the Colorado Institute of Art, and earn my MFA from the Art Institute of Chicago.
Although I've been formerly trained to capture a physical likeness of a subject in a classic sense, I look beneath the surface to find an individual vitality that connects us to eachother. My process involves a combination of various techniques and conceptual observations including ala prima painting, digital collage, street photography and video. My years of experience as a designer and illustrator allow me a sense of design, color and composition.
My work has been a part of single and group shows, galleries, wineries, public art commissions, and live painting performances. My work has been featured on NBC news, at the Sundance Film Festival, South x Southwest, Google, as well as in national and international collections.