Valeria Volnaya

I find inspiration in creating not merely works of art, but visual spaces of meaning—places where a person can encounter something essential within themselves. Interior design and traditional painting have never been at the center of my interests. What captivates me far more is exploring the unmanifested: inner and spiritual worlds, states of being, archetypes, the profound resources within each person, and those meanings that cannot be expressed through ordinary words.

I create at the intersection of visionary art and symbolism, in the direction of neo-symbolism. And I have infused it with my own meaning and artistic approach, exploring the creative potential of the symbol.

Unlike traditional symbolism, which often turned to inner conflicts, experiences, dreams, fears and shadow sides of human nature, neo-symbolism explores what helps a person reveal their strengths, inner resources and connection to their deepest nature.

For me, a symbol is far more than an artistic image. It is a tool for engaging with consciousness and the unconscious, with memory, with states of being and meaning itself. That is why my works do not so much tell stories as they create a space for inner recognition and connection with what already lives within a person.

Instead of academic training, I chose an independent practice, learning from distinctive artists and people of refined perception in different countries. For many years, I created custom mandalas, and this is precisely what shaped my artistic voice: a central axis, symmetry, multilayered depth, attention to symbol, color, and compositional structure.

For me, each painting is both an artistic project and an alchemical process. In it, inspiration and system converge, flow and structure unite, intuition and craftsmanship intertwine.

I paint only what I truly see, feel, and know through my own experience of perception. Many images are born in meditation and in my healing practice with people.

A special place in my practice is held by artistic power artifacts — unique commissioned paintings created for a specific person, family, or lineage. Such works become a bridge between a person's inner world and their deepest resources, values, origins, and potential.

What inspires me most are people with rich inner worlds: creators, explorers, visionaries, masters of their craft—those who bring something genuine and valuable into the world. People who remain true to themselves even in difficult times, who continue to create, grow, and realize their goals and dreams regardless of circumstances. It is for such people that I love to create most of all.

I believe that one of art's most essential tasks today is helping a person maintain a living, genuine connection with themselves.

We live in an era of rapid technological advancement, artificial intelligence, and virtual spaces.

All of this opens new possibilities, yet at the same time makes it especially important to preserve the living human essence: sensitivity, intuition, the ability to listen to oneself, to feel the world, and to remember one's deeper nature.

My mission as an artist and visionary is to create works that help us not to lose this connection.

I do not seek to give people answers. It is far more interesting to me to create works beside which a person begins to hear their own.

For over 8 years, I have been creating works that find their people in different corners of the world. Today, my pieces are in private collections in Russia, India, Thailand, England, and Sweden. And each time, I am inspired by the thought that art can become a subtle visual reminder that a person doesn't need to search for themselves outwardly — everything important already exists within them. One only needs to remember this and, in any circumstance, remain true to oneself.