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About me 

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Artistic Influences & Direction
My Foundation & Passion

My foundation in art was shaped through the works of Ilya Repin, Valentin Serov, and Nicolai Fechin, whose paintings became my school and my launch pad into the world of fine art portraiture.

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My passion for pastel began after encountering the works of Rosalba Carriera at the Dresden Gallery and deepened through the study of Maurice-Quentin de La Tour and the French pastel masters. Their work continues to inspire my development as a pastel portrait artist.

Painting Process

My understanding of the portrait painting process continues to grow through the study of Rembrandt, Diego Velázquez, and Frans Hals, while my practice is enriched by the memory-drawing methods of Horace Lecoq de Boisbaudran.

 

Together, these artists and traditions form the foundation of my work—bringing together the discipline of the Russian academic school with the elegance and expressive possibilities of pastel painting and the French pastel tradition.

Next Steps

And where do I go from here?

I keep digging deeper. The more I study these masters, the more I realize there is still much to learn. I want to understand not only what they painted, but how they observed, thought, and made their decisions. Then I bring those lessons back to life—creating fine art portraits from observation and inspiration. As a pastel portrait artist, my goal is to leave an honest visual record of the people and spirit of my own generation, just as these masters did of theirs.

Awards & Honors

  • First Place, 16th Annual Russian Pastel Society Online Exhibition, Russia (2026)

  • Honorable Mention, Dakota Pastels First Quarter Online Competition (2026)

  • Superintendent's Award, Kittitas County Fair, Ellensburg, WA (2021)

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Selected Juried Exhibitions

  • IAPS 48th Open Division Juried Pastel World Exhibition, Albuquerque, NM (2026)

  • Archaeology Through Time, Russian Pastel Society Online Exhibition (2026)

  • Galeries des Talents d'Aujourd'hui et de Demain, Société des Pastellistes de France, Lunel, France (2026)

  • Punch Members Exhibition, Punch Project Gallery, Thorp, WA (2026)

  • Juried CWU Art + Design Alumni Show, Sarah Spurgeon Gallery, Ellensburg, WA (2026)

  • November Artists Show, Grover Gallery, Port Townsend, WA (2025)

  • Gallery One Members Exhibition, Ellensburg, WA (2018, 2019)

  • Old Hotel Gallery Collective Exhibition, Othello, WA (2005)

 

Professional Memberships

  • Signature Member, Degas Pastel Society (2026)

  • Associate Member, Pastel Society of America (2026)

  • Member, Portrait Society of America (2025)

  • Member, Art du Pastel en France (2026)

  • Member, Société des Pastellistes de France (2026)

  • Associate Member, National Pastel Society of Russia (2025)

  • Member, Northwest Pastel Society (2026)

 

Education

  • M.S., New York University, New York, NY

  • B.F.A., Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA

  • Diploma in Art Education, Pedagogical Art College, Petrozavodsk, Russia

Milestones Along the Way
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