What Living in Different Cities Teaches an Artist

For this feature on the Arts to Hearts Project website, we sat down with Ukrainian American visual artist Yana Tymoshenko to talk about her creative journey, philosophy, and process. Yana shares how her work balances realism with imaginative twists, combining the technical discipline of observation with the freedom of invention.

In our conversation, she opens up about how living in different cities, from San Francisco to New York, has shaped both her perspective and her practice, why she lets ideas reveal themselves gradually rather than forcing them, and how colour continues to be a central part of her visual language. She also talks about the significance of recent milestones in her career, including winning first place in Teravarna’s international competition and being named a finalist for Dacia Gallery’s 15th Anniversary Solo Exhibition.

Through this interview, we learn not only how Yana approaches her craft but also how she views the role of intuition, discipline, and environment in building a body of work.

Yana Tymoshenko is a featured artist in our book “101 Art Book: Animal Edition .” You can explore her journey and the stories of other artists by purchasing the book here: https://shop.artstoheartsproject.com/products/the-creative-process-book

Yana Tymoshenko is a Ukrainian American visual artist who grew up in Nashville, Tennessee, but permanently settled in New York City in 2022. She has also had the fortune of spending prolonged periods of time in various other places, such as San Francisco, Atlanta, Buenos Aires, Ukraine, and Italy. Though much of her style and skill was honed through independent experimentation and exploration, she has had some formal education that consists of tutelage under various Nashville-based artists throughout adolescence, online classes, and a couple of workshops at the Florence Classical Arts Academy. Preferred mediums include, but are not limited to, oil paint, colored pencils, and graphite pencil. Yana’s work has been featured in virtual galleries and websites for creatives such as Art Fluent, Arts to Hearts Project, and posespace.com. In July of 2025, she was awarded first place in Teravarna’s international juried art competition for the theme of ‘Colour’. The following August, she was selected as a finalist for Dacia Gallery’s 15th Anniversary Solo Exhibition.

1.   You’ve described your work as a mix of reality and fantasy. What excites you most about combining the two?  

The thing that excites me about combining the two is the blend between objectivity and subjectivity. The fantasy element allows me endless possibilities to integrate my imagination into my art, while remaining anchored to the theory behind realism, which really showcases technical ability. This balanced style works very well for me because I don’t want my art to be a replica of a photograph, but I still really enjoy dabbling with, at least partially, creating the illusion of one.

I get to know each art piece the same way I would get to know a stranger. That is to say, they show me who they are, not the other way around.

Yana Tymoshenko

2.  You’ve lived in many different places before settling in New York. Is there a place that has had the most significant influence on your creativity?    

At the risk of sounding cliché, the truth is that the personality of each place spoke to a different part of myself as both a person and an artist. In other words, every single place had something important to teach me. If I had to pick one absolutely, however, it would have to be San Francisco, California. I had moved to there to live with a then-partner who emphatically encouraged me to pursue art as a career and devote all of my focus to it, and financially supported me throughout that time. Those circumstances really allowed me to aim high, and it showed me what I was truly capable of creatively. I will always be grateful for that.

3.  Some of your themes include grief, sexuality, and destiny. How do ideas like these usually come to you? Are they planned, or do they appear while you’re working?

I get to know each art piece the same way I would get to see a stranger. That is to say, that they show ME who they are, not the other way around. I typically do not start with a pre-determined idea of what the result will look like or what the more profound meaning will be. I let my subconscious lead the way, and it is not until much later that I can clearly see how the art piece reflects my internal state at that time, or the general human condition, even if it wasn’t intentional at the time.

4.     Winning first place in Teravarna’s competition and being a finalist at Dacia Gallery are big moments. How did you feel when you first got the news?  

In my view, moments like those are divine signals to keep going. I’m still in the beginning stages of learning how the industry works. I sometimes struggle with feeling unsure due to not having a formal art education or knowing the “right” people. Still, those little wins show me that I do have something valuable to offer, and that I have what it takes to be taken seriously.

Moments like those are divine signals to keep going. Those little wins show me that I do have something valuable to offer, and that I have what it takes to be taken seriously.

Yana Tymoshenko

5.  You’ve learned through both self-exploration and some formal training. What’s one piece of advice or practice from those experiences that you still use today?

This applies to literally anything in any field, but the piece of advice is to understand the basics of the art piece and then delve into the details. Never look at anything in isolation and never lose sight of the bigger picture. That may sound like conventional knowledge, but it has come to be traditional for a reason.

6. Colour plays such a significant role in your work. When you sit down to create, do you choose your colours first, or do they evolve with the painting?  

Like all other elements of the painting, they evolve along the way. The only thing I do know for sure regarding the colour palette is that it will be striking and more on the saturated side. I love the life and emphasis they give to the painting against a pitch black background. It also acts as a perfect allusion to my place of residence, New York City. It’s the city that never sleeps, always active and aglow, even into the late night.

As Yana reflects on her journey, it becomes clear that her art is as much about process as it is about outcome, rooted in observation, expanded by imagination, and guided by intuition. Her story reminds us that creativity thrives at the intersection of discipline and freedom, and that every place, experience, and milestone leaves its mark on the canvas. Join us as we step into her world and discover the layers of thought, feeling, and vision that shape her work.

To learn more about Yana, click the following links to visit her profile.

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