Yelena Lev-Navtikova

My brush moves where vision softens and imagination takes flight.

As a contemporary artist, I seek to distill the pulse of our time—translating the world’s shifting rhythms into visual language shaped by emotion, memory, and intuition. Working primarily in oil and acrylic, I build my surfaces through layered passages, where modern textures breathe new life into traditional mediums, allowing each painting to unfold slowly, like a lived experience.

My practice moves between two complementary modes: abstract expressionism and surreal symbolism. In my abstract works, gesture and color become vessels of raw sensation—immediate, instinctive, and unfiltered—capturing moments that exist beyond narrative or form. In contrast, my surreal symbolic paintings emerge from an inner mythology, where figurative elements, recurring motifs, and dreamlike landscapes serve as metaphors for psychological and spiritual inquiry. These images invite contemplation, offering symbols not as answers, but as open thresholds.

Across both styles, each painting becomes a refracted mirror of my inner lens. Reality is not merely observed, but transformed—reimagined through intuition and introspection. My work forms an intimate tapestry woven from perception and soul, inviting the viewer to step into a space where the seen and the unseen quietly converge.

Y. Lev is a multidisciplinary artist and graphic designer based in Los Angeles, California. Born in Minsk, Belarus, her journey from Eastern Europe to the American West Coast has shaped her unique artistic perspective, blending cultural influences and a deep exploration of transformation.

Her formal education spans both continents, earning a B.A. in Painting from California State University, Northridge, and an M.A. in Architecture from the Belarusian State Academy of Architecture. This diverse academic background informs her work, which frequently explores themes of transition and metamorphosis.

"Throughout my life, I've always felt a sense of transformation," Lev reflects. "Moving from Belarus to the U.S., shifting careers, even becoming a mother—all of these experiences have reshaped my identity and perspective."

Lev’s artwork often merges delicate fantasy with emotional landscapes, balancing serenity with movement. In The Revival, she creates dreamlike compositions that evoke both calm and turbulence. Similarly, her piece JC features two abstracted fish set against a mountainous backdrop, subtly referencing early Christian iconography while maintaining a contemporary, almost Japanese aesthetic.

A member of the Artist’s Guild of California State University, Northridge, and the Association of Artists of Belarus, Lev continues to evolve her craft through deep contemplation and philosophical inquiry. Describing her creative process, she says, "I work and rework a piece until I am completely satisfied—sometimes even discarding it and starting over. My art is a constant dialogue with myself."

Lev’s work invites viewers into a world of transformation, where past and present, realism and abstraction, all coexist in a delicate balance.