About
About
I have always loved drawing and painting. When I was six years old, I told my parents that I wanted to become an artist. My mother was shocked — her child was choosing such an unpredictable and unstable path in life!
Later, I considered becoming a writer. I wrote poems and stories, made my own little family newspapers, and kept a journal filled with my own illustrations. But I grew up during a difficult time for my family and eventually chose a more practical profession that would give me financial independence. I studied law, first in Moscow and later, after moving to Norway, at the University of Oslo, where I earned an LL.M. and a PhD. Springer published my book on aviation security and privacy.
Writing remained part of my life. In my spare time, I wrote poems and travel stories, some of which were published in The Wave magazine and on various websites. I also wrote about snowboarding and surfing adventures in Brazil, Bali, Ecuador, Georgia, China, and elsewhere.
Still, I never gave up the hope that one day I would return to art — perhaps when I retired.
Fortunately, that happened much earlier.
In the summer of 2018, I was sitting outside, working on an academic article while my children were playing in the garden. Their art teacher did not show up that day, and I suddenly thought: Why am I sitting here? I could be drawing with them.
It was a moment of clarity. I realized that there was no reason to keep postponing something that had always been so important to me.
Although I had built a career in law, having three young children made the flexibility of an artistic life especially meaningful to me. Painting allowed me to combine work, family, learning, and creativity in a way that an office career could not. For the first time, everything seemed to align: I had the desire, the opportunity, and the freedom to dedicate myself to art.
Art is now both my work and my passion. I feel incredibly fortunate to be living a dream I once thought I would have to postpone until retirement.
I began exhibiting my work in 2019, when my watercolor Winter Light was selected for the Tirana International Watercolor Biennale in Albania. Since then, I have continued to explore different approaches to art. My work ranges from observational and academic studies to more contemporary and expressive styles. I enjoy experimenting with different techniques, materials, and visual languages, and I see learning as an essential part of my artistic practice.
My creative interests have also expanded beyond traditional painting and drawing. In 2021–2022, I studied filmmaking at BangBang Education Film School, where I produced several student projects, including the 16-minute documentary A Year in the Middle of Nowhere, based on my own experience.
In 2025–2026, I studied Making Stories Through Picture Books at HDK-Valand – Academy of Art and Design, University of Gothenburg, a selective programme focused on visual storytelling and picture-book creation. During the course, I developed and illustrated my own picture books, combining narrative, drawing, and visual composition.
My three children love to paint as well, and we continue to grow and learn alongside one another. We inspire each other every day. Since 2023, I have also been teaching art and calligraphy to children.
For me, art is not simply a profession. It is a way of observing the world, asking questions, telling stories, and continuing to learn. I am grateful that I finally allowed myself to follow the path I first chose when I was six years old.
ART EDUCATION
2025–2026 — HDK-Valand – Academy of Art and Design, University of Gothenburg
Making Stories Through Picture Books
March 2020–June 2024 — Art School of Oleg Toropygin
Drawing and Painting; Icon Painting
November 2021–June 2022 — BangBang Education Film School
Filmmaking, Certificate
January–October 2023 — KidsLetters Calligraphy School
Calligraphy for Children
June 2023 — Tut Art School, St. Petersburg
Intensive Drawing and Painting: Portrait and Figure
April–June 2023 — Nikolietta Calligraphy School
Spencerian Calligraphy Course
May 2023 — Prostaya School
One-Month Painting Course with Artist Mikhail Babenkov
April–May 2023 — Two Empires School
Chinese Painting, Certificate
September–November 2022 — Ferapont Icon School
Icon Painting Course, Certificate
September–November 2021 — Nikita Mogilevtsev Workshop, St. Petersburg Repin Art Academy
Composition Course, Certificate
January–July 2021 — Kalacheva School
Geometry for Artists; Anatomy for Artists; Human Figure; Portrait
Autumn 2019 — Higher School of Economics (HSE)
Contemporary Art Course
Autumn 2019 — Higher School of Economics (HSE)
Introduction to Art History
January–December 2019 — Elena Tarutina School
Art Masters Study Course; From Draft to Series; and other art courses
February–May 2019 — Prostaya School
Human Figure Course
February–April 2019 — Kalacheva School
Fashion Illustration Course
September–December 2018 — Yury Akopyants Watercolor School
Watercolor Course
August 2018–2019 — Marina Trushnikova Art School
Drawing and Painting; Watercolor and other Art Courses
OTHER EDUCATION
2024–2026 — University of Oslo
Bachelor’s Degree in European Languages (French)
2010–2016 — University of Oslo
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Law
2008–2009 — University of Oslo
LL.M. in Information and Communication Technology Law
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
October 2023–June 2025 — Calligraphy and Art Teacher, Discovery International School, Hønefoss
January 2023 — Art Course for Children, Rødberg Cultural School
EXHIBITIONS
1 June–30 July 2021 — URBAN, Odonata Gallery, Oslo, Norway
26–27 June 2020 — Art Exhibition, Rødberg Lokstallen, Norway
1 June–31 July 2020 — Art Exhibition, Odonata Gallery, Oslo, Norway
2019 — Online Art Exhibition, Tarutina School, Moscow, Russia
2019 — Winter Light, selected for the Tirana International Watercolor Biennale 2019 Albania Super, Tirana, Albania
PRESS
2020 — Kunstutstilling i Lokstallen, by Ingrid Jahren Scudder. Laagendalsposten, 01.07.2020.
Link
2020 — Det er dette eg elskar å drive med, by Tor Folgerø. Hallingdølen, 30.06.2020.
Link
LANGUAGES
English, Russian, Norwegian, French