My story

Nature has been an important part of my life since the beginning. I grew up in a big city in the Ural mountains region in Russia, but I used to spend of my summer holidays in my parent’s house in the forest.  This was my playground and where I learned some of the essential things in life, encouraged by my grandmothers, who taught me how to recognize plants and mushrooms. That’s when my deep connection with the natural world began. I spent much time outdoors, walking in the forest and creating things with my hands. When it was time to decide what education to pursue, I couldn’t envision a profession combining my two biggest passions: nature and creativity.

Firstly,  I enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts in my hometown. Classical education really helped me master traditional art disciplines such as drawing, painting, sculpture and composition. What it didn’t give me was a clear vision of what to do next, how to present my work or find clients. I decided to look for the answers to those questions abroad, and I continued my studies in Paris, France, where I obtained a Master’s degree in Contemporary Art Management. I studied for three years of studies and concurrently worked in many art galleries and art fairs in Paris and New York. I gained a new perspective on the art world and its players. However, I still felt I was missing the two main things that everything started from – nature and creativity. After marrying my Italian husband Fabrizio in 2017, we decided to reconnect with nature and move from Paris to a small town in southern Italy. Once we settled, I decided to return to creativity and started to paint again. It became clear to me that nature would be the focus of my creative practice. Encouraged by my husband, I started to share my work on Instagram and Facebook. During this time, I focused on my personal projects and started to sell my artwork on Etsy.

I collaborated with private and corporate clients on commissions while working for art galleries remotely. Finally, I could focus solely on my project Natura Illustrata. My experience as a curator and art manager allowed me to look at my creative projects from a new perspective and embrace my journey as an artist and creative entrepreneur. Natura Illustrata became a brand and a community of artists passionate about nature. Since 2021I focused on teaching, created my first Skillshare classes, illustrated my first book, and worked on big projects for different businesses. During this time, I was exploring options for teaching what I learnt in an authentic way. I decided to build a team and launch an e-learning platform for my community. My husband joined the project as an executive producer in 2022. In 2023, we launched this educational platform focused on promoting nature and creativity. 

My vision

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My motto is “Learn from Nature”. Natura Illustrata aims to support creatives on their journey of learning new creative skills through reconnecting with the natural world. Illustrating nature encourages us to pay close attention to the beauty around us, to care more about our planet and to spread this awareness through our creative work. It’s also an amazing way to make a pause, reflect and find inner peace in this busy world. Illustrating natural subjects is not only a relaxing and fulfilling activity but also a profitable creative niche. That’s why my courses are focused on teaching a mix of hard and soft skills to become a successful artist.

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