Artist statement. 

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Once, long ago, I asked a taxi driver to tell me the worst thing about his job. I expected him to complain about the long hours or mechanical problems. Waiting to stop at a red light before answering, he said, ’The worst thing about my job is that I never hear the end of the story. People enter my taxi halfway through their conversation and leave without finishing it.’ I often think about that taxi driver and how the fragments of a story inspire me the most. I want my work to feel open-ended, like a snapshot of a much bigger tale, a springboard for one’s imagination to go on an unexpected ride.

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I am half French and half Russian and live in New York City. I was educated in the UK and the US. Geography affects my work because different places generate narratives that drive my process. If I get stuck while creating a piece, I go for a walk and wait for the crowded street to give me the answer. I love living in New York City because of its diversity. Being in NYC makes me feel like I am living in many different countries simultaneously.

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Drawing with a pen on paper, to the exclusion of other mediums, began as a matter of practicality. As a child of divorced parents who lived in separate countries and sent me to a school in a third, I lived much of my early life in a suitcase. I didn’t want to have an excuse not to make art just because I didn’t have the suitable paints or space to sculpt or paint. Drawing offered an answer. Because of my background in etching, I am trained to commit to every line I draw. If I make a mistake, I let it guide me, as in life, one can never go back and rub things out. All I need is a piece of paper and a pen, and I am away! 

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I start each drawing by inventing a story. Long or short or even incomplete, I must have a narrative. Then, I draw the image and consider what textures and patterns I will use for each section. Once I feel that my composition has a compelling flow, I switch on an audiobook or podcast and try not to interfere with the instinctive movements of my hand. I know the drawing is working when I lose track of all time.

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In my artwork, I want to convey how universally bizarre the world is. Humor is also an essential part of my practice. If people are laughing, they are much more likely to go down a visual journey that would make the viewer see the world through my eyes.