Artist Statement​

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I often start with a meditation to connect with my untamed spirit. I do it by listening to the line as it moves across the paper to understand what it wants to express, and then surrendering to its desire. Listening to the line is much more important than guiding it, because art is a direct way to communicate with the human spirit. Throughout my life, I’ve used art as a tool to help others, open them up, heal, and start them on a new adventure. In reality, I was helping myself to find the courage to trust life and be ready to meet the unknown.

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Biography ​

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Elena Zelenina creates richly layered mixed media works that exist at the intersection of memory, material, and meaning. Rooted in the classical Russian painterly tradition — where she trained under master artists Mikhail Biryukov and Nikolai Gladkih — her practice has evolved into a deeply personal visual language that speaks across cultures and generations.

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Each work begins as an exploration: of texture, of color, of what cannot quite be said in words. The result is art that collectors describe as emotionally immediate and visually complex — work that rewards a long, slow look.

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Zelenina’s pieces are held in private collections internationally and have been recognized with awards throughout her career.