I am a first generation Russian Jewish American and my experiences are based through a lens of being bilingual, struggling to accept my culture, and struggling to accept myself. I make art for myself in an autobiographical way to process my self-development and personal struggles. My style of choice is almost always mixed media collage. I’m drawn to this form of creating because it allows me to combine different styles, images, and narratives into pieces that have a lot of depth and story behind them.

The reason I started making my work autobiographical is because of my struggles with mental and physical health, through which I was also finding myself. I’ve begun to use art as a form of therapy, outlet, and communication for myself. Working through pieces about my gender identity and sexual orientation has created clarity for me about how I identify, ultimately helping me accept myself more. 

I work organically and spontaneously. I rarely plan and sketch before I start a piece. At first I wasn’t sure why I worked this way until I thought about myself outside my art. Having anxiety has made me struggle with “going with the flow”. I plan everything and constantly go about life in a premeditated way. Working on art in a polar opposite mindset gives me a space to not only relax but also not be anxious.