{"title":"Polina Valetskaia","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg style=\"max-height: 300px; max-width:55%\" src=\"https:\/\/helloart-prod-bucket.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com\/media\/artist\/polina-valetskaia\/polina-valetskaia-profile_7Bqjllq.jpg\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePolina Valetskaia\r\u003cbr\u003eOttawa, Canada\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eArtistic Focus \u0026amp; Mediums\r\u003cbr\u003eI work across multiple media, with a primary focus on portraiture and the human body. My practice explores emotion, identity, and inner states, while remaining open to experimentation and the discovery of new visual languages and creative horizons.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eEducation \u0026amp; Training\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003e2020–2023\r\u003cbr\u003eAnimation Program (2D \/ 3D Animation)\r\u003cbr\u003eConestoga College — Kitchener, Ontario, Canada\r\u003cbr\u003eDuring my studies, my main focus was on creating animated films and character-driven visual narratives.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003e2021\r\u003cbr\u003eAnimation School\r\u003cbr\u003eMoscow, Russia\r\u003cbr\u003eAdvanced animation and visual storytelling training.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003e2014–2020\r\u003cbr\u003eArt Club “Palitra”\r\u003cbr\u003eEnglish Secondary School “Geo Milev” — Burgas, Bulgaria\r\u003cbr\u003eMentor: Zlatka Koeva\r\u003cbr\u003eDuring my high school years, I actively participated in art events and national art competitions, receiving multiple awards.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003e2023\r\u003cbr\u003ePsychology Studies\r\u003cbr\u003ePsychodemia — Moscow, Russia\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003e2024\r\u003cbr\u003eAstrology Philosophy Studies\r\u003cbr\u003eMoscow, Russia\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eExhibitions\r\u003cbr\u003e“Minimalistic Fairytale” — 2017\r\u003cbr\u003eBurgas, Bulgaria\r\u003cbr\u003eThis exhibition presented 12 artworks inspired by the music of Yann Tiersen and Bulgarian landscapes. The exhibition was conceived as a live musical-visual performance: two musicians performed on piano while I created a 13th artwork in real time during the concert.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003e“Equilibrium” — 2023\r\u003cbr\u003eBurgas, Bulgaria\r\u003cbr\u003eThis exhibition reflected a personal period of self-searching and transformation. I was invited by the Mayor of Burgas to present a new solo exhibition featuring my recent works. Several artworks were sold during the exhibition.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eProjects\r\u003cbr\u003eOngoing project exploring Slavic traditions and cultural rituals through contemporary visual interpretation\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eShort animated film “Friendship”, created during my animation studies\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eSkills \u0026amp; Techniques:\r\u003cbr\u003e1) Acrylic and oil painting\r\u003cbr\u003e2) Digital painting (Krita, Photoshop, Lightroom)\r\u003cbr\u003e3) 2D animation (TVPaint, Harmony)\r\u003cbr\u003e4) 3D basics (Maya)\r\u003cbr\u003e5) Visual storytelling and concept development\r\u003cbr\u003e6) Architectural \u0026amp; interior visualization (2020 Design, Chief Architect)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eARTIST’S STATEMENT\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eMy name is Polina, and I am from Bulgaria. I have been creating art since the first moment I was able to hold a pencil in my hand, and I have never stopped since. Throughout my life, I have participated in various contests and competitions and have sold my artwork, mainly portraits.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eI graduated from Conestoga College with a degree in Computer Animation. Currently, I work in project management and provide design consultations; however, my strong desire for fine art has never left me. I constantly feel the urge to leave the office and bring colors to life.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eI hope this opportunity you are offering will open magical doors for me in the world of art and allow me to share my soul with the world.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"breaking-through-4","title":"Breaking through","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e24x20x0.40\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI created this work while seeking a deeper connection with the Canadian landscape. Although my practice has been primarily centered on portraiture, I felt compelled to expand my visual language and engage with nature as both subject and emotional space.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eThis piece marks my first exploration of landscape painting. Rather than documenting a specific location, I approached the environment as a psychological and atmospheric presence, translating my experience of place into color, texture, and light. It represents the beginning of an ongoing dialogue between the human figure — which has long defined my work — and the natural world that now surrounds me.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eThrough this transition, I am exploring how identity, memory, and environment intersect, opening a new chapter in my artistic practice.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Polina Valetskaia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42191221456999,"sku":null,"price":1300.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1771199771_51580.jpg?v=1771199787"},{"product_id":"still-life-no-iii","title":"Still Life, No. III","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e24x20x0.60\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis still life reflects my interest in fruit as a space for chromatic freedom and painterly experimentation. Unlike portraiture, it allows me to intensify color, exaggerate contrast, and focus on rhythm rather than likeness.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eThrough saturated hues and expressive brushwork, everyday forms become studies of light, abundance, and visual harmony. The work marks a shift toward a more intuitive and color-driven approach within my practice.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Polina Valetskaia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42191369371751,"sku":null,"price":1500.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1771200211_46900.jpg?v=1771200229"},{"product_id":"marilyn-monroe-2","title":"Marilyn Monroe","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e20x24x0.60\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMarilyn Monroe has been a constant presence in my artistic life. I have painted dozens of her portraits and continue to return to her image without exhaustion. For me, she is not only an icon of popular culture but a complex visual language of light, vulnerability, and constructed identity.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eI work from both well-known and lesser-seen photographs, translating them through my own palette and painterly interpretation. Each portrait becomes less a reproduction and more a dialogue between myth and personal vision, allowing me to explore femininity, memory, and the tension between public image and inner presence.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Polina Valetskaia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42191375728743,"sku":null,"price":1300.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1771200589_86759.jpg?v=1771200606"},{"product_id":"tulip-festival-ottawa","title":"Tulip Festival Ottawa","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e20x20x2\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis work is dedicated to the annual Tulip Festival, a symbol of renewal and cultural memory in Canada. The tulips in the foreground are rendered with expressive color and movement, contrasting with the architectural stability of the Peace Tower behind them.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eBy combining a national landmark with a living, seasonal motif, I explore the dialogue between permanence and ephemerality, structure and growth. The painting reflects my interest in color as a carrier of emotion and in landscape as a space where history and nature meet.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Polina Valetskaia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42191376679015,"sku":null,"price":700.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1771201022_15882.jpg?v=1771201043"},{"product_id":"replica-of-mona-lisa","title":"Replica of Mona Lisa","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e20x24x0.40\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is my third replica of the Mona Lisa, a face I continually return to in my practice. I am drawn to her subtle expression which is difficult to repeat.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eOne of the main challenges in this work was approaching the softness of Leonardo da Vinci’s tonal transitions with acrylic. However, I find it entertaining.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Polina Valetskaia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42191475769447,"sku":null,"price":1600.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1771202062_99321.jpg?v=1771202086"},{"product_id":"moments-of-wonder","title":"Moments of wonder","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e20x24x1.50\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCreation Process \u0026amp; Thoughts\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eThis piece emerged from an emotional impulse rather than a plan. I wanted to capture the fragile moment when emotion becomes impossible to hide — somewhere between surprise, vulnerability, fear, and wonder.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eThrough exaggerated features, expressive color, and distortion, I explored emotional transparency and the intensity of inner experience. The contrast between warm reds and soft green tones reflects tension between emotional exposure and quiet stillness.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eThe childlike figure exists between innocence and complexity — raw, theatrical, and deeply human.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Polina Valetskaia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43764168228967,"sku":null,"price":900.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1778689640_88598.jpg?v=1778689678"},{"product_id":"the-weight-of-wonder","title":"Me at Work","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e17x20x0.50\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis piece is a caricature inspired by myself at work — those overwhelming moments of multitasking, pressure, and trying to keep everything together at once. Through exaggerated features and expressive color, I wanted to transform stress into something humorous, theatrical, and emotionally honest.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Polina Valetskaia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43766545121383,"sku":null,"price":900.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1778767224_95376.jpg?v=1778767550"},{"product_id":"alysa-liu","title":"Alysa Liu","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic on canvas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e20x24x0.50\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMy sister asked me to paint this portrait, which made the process feel especially personal. I wanted to capture more than appearance — a quiet strength, softness, and presence that felt true to the person I was painting.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eRather than focusing only on realism, I allowed color and expressive brushstrokes to shape emotion and atmosphere. The warm tones and soft background became a way to reflect elegance, calmness, and inner resilience.\r\u003cbr\u003e\r\u003cbr\u003eCreating this piece felt like translating not only a face, but also a feeling.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Polina Valetskaia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43781342036071,"sku":null,"price":1800.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/files\/1_1779193616_44665.jpg?v=1779197649"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/3038\/4487\/collections\/1_1771199771_51580.jpg?v=1771199790","url":"https:\/\/helloart.com\/fr\/collections\/polina-valetskaia.oembed","provider":"helloart","version":"1.0","type":"link"}