Born in Odessa, Ukraine into a family obsessed with flowers and a heritage of growing fruits and vegetables for survival, my favourite childhood memories are always from the dacha where my grandparents built their own little cottage to grow food away from the city.
After moving to Sydney at the age of seven I found art and specifically flowers helped me to connect with other kids at school despite not speaking any English when I arrived.
I now use botanical imagery, bold proportions and a restrained colour palette with the aim to create inclusive works that break down cultural and language barriers to tell stories of the land and connect people in urban environments to nature.
Having previously studied and worked as an Interior Architect in Sydney and Brussels, exploring the way our environments affect our bodies and minds is of strong interest to me. By creating playful pieces featuring imagery of oversized botanicals, I hope to transport people to a place somewhere between an immersive playground and a meditative space or refuge that inspires people to get out into the bush and care for plant friends of all kinds.
As well as running a personal art practice, I’m interested in creating large-scale, site-specific pieces in urban environments for and with the community to allow them to access art and to experience its’ benefits in public spaces. Alongside these I also run workshops and art tours for locals, visitors, school groups and friends.
Whether my works are indoors or outdoors, large or small, I hope for them to spark conversations about preserving and protecting the environment between friends and strangers.
I live and work in the Blue Mountains, just outside Sydney and am represented by Day Gallery Blackheath and the Cornerstore Gallery Orange.
I completed a Bachelor of Interior Architecture (hons) in 2009 and after working as an Interior Architect in Sydney and Brussels for several years had the opportunity to create two public art works in Sydney which launched my art practice. I've exhibited at Chrissie Cotter Gallery, Brunswick Street Gallery, Blank Space Gallery, The Other Art Fair, The Blue Mountains Cultural Centre, Corner Store Gallery Orange, Day Gallery Blackheath and Landslide Gallery.
I won the Frankie Good Stuff awards in 2021 in the Art and Illustration category. My works are held in private collections in Australia, Asia and Europe and my public works can be found throughout NSW, Victoria and also in Italy.
I love to paint large and can comfortably use a scissor lift, cherry picker and a plain old ladder
Favourite mural project types
I love to paint site specific, personal murals that tell the story of the place or people living there and often I do this by researching the plants endemic to an area or perhaps sentimental flowers that remind the client of a person, place or event.
Organic shapes and dusty yet bold colour palettes are my jam and I love to alter a streetscape or a wall to bring life and joy to people's daily lives.
Mural projects include:
- 50ml Milan - a mural project for a retail store/perfumery in Milan, Italy working closely with an interior designer to compliment the interior architecture of the space.
- Woollahra Hoardings - love to see my work printed and used to beautify construction hoardings
- Better Walls Art Project for Canterbury-Bankstown Council - loved working on this mural project as it involved a youth art workshop and interactive painting sessions. It's fantastic to see kids getting involved.
- Aurora Rooftop Bar - a gorgeous interior designed by Studio Isgro and I was fortunate to create the backdrop of the bar