anka yanovna
Intergalactic Mistress of Mystery and Irredeemable Lover of Cats.
Anka Yanovna is a multidisciplinary artist who works in a variety of media to paint entities both strange and sweet, as they emerge from alternate dimensions intersecting our reality. A devoted environmentalist and lover of Planet Earth, her work explores the natural world and our relationship to it through the eyepiece of a color drenched telescope. In these visions, living robots grow from intelligent trees, flower girls bloom over a cup of grub tea, and colorful cats carry the weight of the world on their heads. Themes of love, connection, and the joy of discovery are underpinned by serious reflections on the growing imbalance between humanity and the natural world which sustains us. Through it all, she firmly believes in the power of humor and optimism to draw viewers into her worlds. It may be weird out there, but we are not alone.
Anka was born in St. Petersburg, Russia and spent her formative years living and working in New York City before establishing her current practice in Maine.
email: anka [at] agblend13.com
phone: 207-558-2521
✦ selected work ✦
tattoo cats : a series exploring the fusion of natural and artificial elements of tattoo imagery embedded in fur
adventures in toonland : strange beings on strange journeys
wood bot and friends : figures and creatures, those seeking new horizons and those waiting to be found
creation myths : the sky is falling and the future is unknowable
pesky lescoot : mischief and mayhem coming through, beep beep!
commercial work
✦ cover art for "Inner Worlds" literary zine
✦ food packaging artwork for FFT International, pitching a whipped cream campaign to the Japanese market
✦ graphics and branding for "The Indescribable Wow" radio program
✦ graphics and branding for WCFA radio station
✦ mural work and trompe l'oeil paintings in private residences
skills
✦ traditional painter working with acrylics for over 15 years
✦ traditional + digital collage
✦ digital painting + graphics : vector / raster
✦ simple animations and GIF art
✦ sculpture work : plaster / paper mache / polymer clay
♡ always experimenting, always learning
exhibition history
2026
Mini Solo at La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA (January 2026)
2025
"Meowtopia" group show at Poetic Tiger Gallery, Boise, ID
"What the Folk" group show at Poetic Tiger Gallery, Boise, ID
"Post Op" group show at Brassworks Gallery, Portland, OR (sold out)
"Everything But The Kitschen Sink" group show at La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA (sold out)
"Submerge" group show at Wow x Wow Gallery, UK
3rd Annual Postcard Show at Brassworks Gallery, Portland, OR (upcoming)
10th Annual Postcard Show at Nucleus Portland, Portland OR (upcoming)
"Rare Phenomena" group show at Wow x Wow Gallery, UK (upcoming)
"Moments of Illumination" group show at Wow x Wow Gallery, UK (upcoming)
2024
“Small Works Exhibition” group show at Glave Kocen Petite, Richmond, VA
“Everything But The Kitchen Sink” group show at La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA (sold out)
“Enchanted Kingdoms” group show at Poetic Tiger Gallery, Boise, ID
“Cute and Creepy” group show at Hive Gallery, Los Angeles, CA (sold out)
2nd Annual Postcard Show at Brassworks Gallery, Portland, OR (sold out)
2023
“Everything But The Kitchen Sink” group show at La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2022
“Annual Members Show” at the Maine Art Gallery, Wiscassett, ME
“Everything But The Kitchen Sink” group show at La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA