Statement:

I’ve been interested in art all my life. Back in Russia where I grew up, I studied mechanical engineering. Becoming an artist there meant living in poverty for the rest of your days.  Meanwhile I was painting, drawing, and practicing my artistic skills.  Art was a full time hobby; it helped me to express myself, bring my ideas in life, and make me feel accomplished and satisfied. 

Almost all of my family members are engineers. However, almost all of them have some artistic experience in their past. My mom was fond of Photography and had professional photo equipment. My uncle was fond of illustration and drawing, while my aunt and grandmother were into crafts. I grew up watching new creations coming to life and always enjoyed the beauty of the process. 

After I immigrated to the United States, I pretty much abandoned my hobby. Life became so busy and intense, I didn’t have any time for myself.  However, I was always thinking that one day I’m going to go back to painting, and those thoughts warmed my heart. 

In 2014, I decided to go back to college to get a US diploma and I picked Computer Science as my major of study. When it got too boring, I changed my major to Multimedia Computing with the requirement of taking two digital art classes. I was very excited about those classes and, soon after I took them, I changed my major to a BA in Digital Art. I realized it was my passion, and as soon as I did it I felt so much better.  I felt like myself again.  

Over time I took a lot of studio classes and learned about a lot of new media, such as printmaking and ceramics. I practiced painting, drawing and creative thinking, but I still couldn’t get enough art in my life. So, I changed my major to BFA.

Photography has played a very important role in my artistic experience. When I first took a photography class, I was fascinated by the process in the darkroom. I fell in love with this form of art. Since then, photography became my passion. I think I took all the photo classes that were ever offered by Brooklyn College. I continue working with photography almost every day, and I hope to grow in this direction, gain more experience, and become a professional. 

My favorite genres are portrait and photojournalism. I like to experiment with light and exposure. I prefer black and white, because I believe the work in the darkroom is the foundation of any good photograph. I like to edit portraits using Photoshop and other editing tools and techniques. My plan is to learn Lightroom soon so I will be able to create more vibrant and interesting images.  

When I was studying the history of photography, I was introduced to many geniuses.  Some of them had very famous photographs, some less familiar, but still very interesting. There are many classical photographers who inspired me, and I would like to embed some elements of their work in my own ideas. On Pinterest and Instagram, is I follow contemporary young photographers who give a lot of ideas and motivation. 

Currently, I’m working on a project called Remote Life of Olives. My idea is to capture the life of young ones during the pandemic. I'm trying to display the reality of how children are dealing with the world crisis, how they adjust to the changes in their lives such as remote school, remote activities, and wearing masks all the time. It's fascinating trying to depict how they still enjoy their lives, even though it’s hard sometimes, and they are going through a lot. Right now, the situation in the world is very unusual. I believe it's important to record these events. I think this type of work will become historical documentation. 

I have many ideas and projects in my mind which I hope will soon come to life. I'm starting to set up a mini-studio in my house where I could experiment and create. My dream is to open a large studio with huge windows and a lot of sunlight, where I'm going to embody my ideas of children's photography.  

I only wish I could have more time for professional growth and development.  Unfortunately, it’s still not easy for a mother to find a balance between family and career, to compete with a man or a childless woman.  But I do have my little models around me to motivate and inspire me every day. I try to do my best and set a good example for my children and other women on how to be a mom and a professional all at once.