Born in Donetsk, Ukraine, I spent my formative years moving between several countries. Even after my family settled in Canada, we never stopped travelling. Today I am grateful for this early exposure, and for the fortune of having experienced some of the most beautiful places on our planet, which ignited my imagination and kick-started my quest for knowledge.

Art for me is a way to explore the world and relate my experiences of it. I became especially fascinated with painting the ocean once I learned to scuba dive at the age of 12. This underwater realm, full of colour and energy, sparked both my imagination and my curiosity. I wanted to learn the Sea’s secrets, and art was an important part of that journey.

Today I work in a variety of different media, primarily painting in acrylic, watercolour, egg tempera, and oils, as well as film and digital photography, fabric painting, and graphic illustration. My art is inspired by my studies of the natural sciences, elements in nature, and traditional craft methods. You can view my completed projects in the GALLERY, visit the online SHOP, or commission your own unique artwork by clicking COMMISSIONS.

I started my research career at Dalhousie University, in the beautiful maritime city of Halifax, Nova Scotia. I graduated with Honour’s in Marine Biology, and spent a year studying vocalizations of long-finned pilot whales off Cape Breton Island. This was my introduction to fieldwork, which ignited my interest in marine mammalogy, social ecology, and bioacoustics. An important aspect of the project also involved working with communities around Cape Breton to further public education and outreach, which opened my eyes to the importance of connecting my research to the humans that it affects.

I then completed my Master’s at Acadia University, where I studied the oceanic movements of Alewife (locally known as Gaspereau) using cutting edge acoustic trackers. One of my primary goals was to quantify if and how much time fish spend in areas with tidal turbines, in order to assess whether these structures pose a threat to the species. My data also reveals interesting new information on factors affecting post-spawning migration in the tidal estuary of Minas Basin, Bay of Fundy. You can read more about this project over at the Gaspereau Tagging Project page.

Today I work as a Species at Risk biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, helping to assess the status of threatened and endangered species like the Atlantic Whitefish, Seawolf, and Shortnose Sturgeon, and develop strategies for their recovery.

Please reach out with any questions, to commission an artwork, or just to chat about ocean stuff!