Through decades of painting, Ilya’s work has transitioned through conceptual and aesthetic periods. A native of Moscow, trained by leading Russian artists, Ilya uses reality as a starting point of a meditative process to create his work. His extensive experience as an observational painter keeps his work true to life. While incorporating both traditional (strong draftsmanship, use of Old Masters painting techniques) and contemporary (gestural painting marks, emphasized color, vivid texture) approaches to his art. Ilya emigrated to the United States in 1989 and holds a Master of Fine Arts from Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Ilya has exhibited and taught throughout the US and Europe. He currently lives in Pennsylvania.