About Kristi

I first learned to oil paint as a child in the basement of my Ukrainian grandmother’s home in Saskatchewan. She was a skilled artist, and being close to her shaped how I see and interpret the world. From an early age, I developed a painterly intuition, and most importantly, a lasting love for traditional painting.

I grew up in Vancouver, BC, and as a young adult, I studied design while also exploring a variety of creative paths. This took me to London, Los Angeles, and New York, each place shaping my perspective in different ways. When my daughter was born in 2023, I took a step back from my previous work and returned to painting, drawing on my design background to inform my artistic practice.

Becoming a “self-taught” painter has been a dedicated pursuit in the understanding of representational and observational painting. I draw from traditional methods, studying painters like Charles Reid, Sir William Russel Flint, and Emily Carr, while also incorporating contemporary techniques and subject matter.

In my work I paint from every day life — my figurative pieces often reflect the honest and ordinary moments happening around me. My work is rooted in representational painting, drawing from lived experience and observation.

I currently reside on Salt Spring Island, BC with my husband and daughter.