I’m Mariia Mykhalap, a professional artist and instructor based in Victoria, British Columbia.

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Art has been part of my life since childhood. With both my mother and grandfather being painters, I was always surrounded by creativity. I grew up watching them create and trying things on my own.

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Over time, what began as something I loved grew into something I wanted to pursue professionally. I studied at the Crimean Art College named after I. Samokish in Simferopol, Ukraine, graduating in 2015 as an artist and art teacher.

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I was first drawn to painting through the beauty of nature and architecture — colour, light, shadows, and the details I noticed around me. As I began painting more portraits and figures, my interest gradually shifted towards people and the stories behind them.

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The human figure is now one of the main subjects in my work, but I still love painting nature, water, flowers, and architecture in a realistic way. I also bring these elements into my surrealistic paintings, combining them with abstraction and exploring different ways to express an idea.

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My work has been shown in several exhibitions in Calgary, including at the Collectors’ Gallery of Art, The Ritual Art Show, and Surreal Worlds at the Pumphouse Theatre.

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Alongside my own work, teaching has always been something I’ve enjoyed. I love sharing my knowledge and techniques, helping others build their skills, explore different approaches, and feel more confident in their own creative choices.

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