I have always believed that light is more than something we see; it is something we feel.

Growing up in Siberia, where long winters made every glimpse of sunlight precious, I learned to notice light. I became fascinated by the way sunlight passes through leaves and flowers, illuminating them from within and awakening colors so vivid they seem almost like stained glass.

Rather than capturing the vastness of a landscape, I move closer. I immerse myself in fragments of nature, searching for the intimacy of being surrounded by it, like a child nestled in a mother’s arms. It is within these quiet, luminous worlds that I find a sense of wonder and belonging.

Years later, beneath the stained-glass windows of great cathedrals, I recognized that same feeling. The writings of Abbot Suger gave words to what I had always sensed: that light can lift the human spirit and transform the ordinary into something transcendent. This quiet dialogue between light, nature, and the inner world remains at the heart of my paintings.

Art has been a continuous thread throughout my life. Over the years, my practice has taken many forms; from painting and large-scale murals to scenic work, exhibitions, and teaching. There was also a chapter when I stepped away from the demands of a full-time professional career to devote myself to raising my family. Creativity never left those years; it simply took a different form, teaching me patience and deepening my appreciation for the quiet moments that so often become the most meaningful.

I later earned my MFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design, where I expanded my exploration of color, perception, and light and further developed the studio practice that continues today. Alongside my work as a professional artist, I teach at Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design and privately, encouraging others not only to learn how to paint, but how to truly see.