Biography

• I was born in an ethnic German family in the city of Karaganda, Kazakhstan. My parents in their free time enthusiastically engaged in creative work.

• My mother embroidered and painted pictures.

• My father carved small sculptures, figurines, children's toys, puzzles and boxes out of wood. He also made designer lamps, chandeliers, furniture, etc. from granite, metal and wood.

So my sister and I were involved in creativity since childhood. It was impossible to get us home until late afternoon, but then we sat down at the children's table and often painted a small album until the evening. These were houses with gardens, princesses, fairy-tale characters, animals... After having entered school, a craving for classical music appeared, and additionally to normal school I went to a children's music school, where I studied piano, solfeggio, singing, and performed in a choir. At the age of 10 years I realized that my life's work was the fine arts, and I entered the children's art school where I stayed 7 years before moving to St. Petersburg.

I was a sensitive child which led to special experiences. At that time I could not intellectually understand them. For example when performing Bach's fugue I enteres a state of mind that now I can compare with samadhi. Wheras there always were 2 answers to the question of whether there is God: from my grandmother - yes, from school - no. It took a lifetime for me to answer these fundamental questions.

• On this path, of course, creativity and the study of art history helped me. The years spent at the children's art school, and then at the St. Petersburg Roerich Art School were very eventful and interesting.

• After art school there were years of searching: a year of voluntary work in Madagascar (architecture, interior, painting), then as a photographer at home. I also worked for a newspaper. Later 6 years in outdoor advertising and a year as an interior designer. Then I established my own design studio. For 15 years there were many interesting projects like the interior design of the Karaganda Sary-Arka Airport during its restoration, the design for the House of Culture with a cinema hall, many restaurants, cafes, private apartments. Also accompanying outdoor advertising, logos, and of course paintings: both for decorating restaurants or as a gift to city guests. There were other interesting projects with known architects and sculptors like Alexander V. Titarev and Anatoly Bilyk who left their mark on the cityscape of Karaganda.

• Interior design and life in Kazakhstan gradually lost their relevance for me, and I moved to Germany. The vibrant German nature after the steppes of central Kazakhstan and the people here inspire me to paint. I am now very happy to have painting as my main activity and everything that was saved up for later and waited in the wings finally found its day 🌞