two headed walking the dog Artwork

Ilya Shkipin (b. 1989) is a Russian-born artist based in Patterson, California, whose work explores psychological states through visceral oil paintings. A graduate of the Academy of Art in San Francisco, Shkipin creates haunting figurative works that capture moments of transformation and emotional intensity. His paintings often depict distorted figures dissolving into dreamlike spaces, rendered in thick impasto and gestural brushwork. Through experimental processes combining traditional painting techniques with digital tools, he creates psychological landscapes where the boundaries between figure and void, presence and absence become blurred. This exploration of human fragility and transformation speaks to broader themes of identity, isolation, and emotional struggle in contemporary life. Drawing from personal photographs, film stills, and various digital experiments, Shkipin filters these references through lived experience to create emotionally charged works. This practice extends into his work as a musician, where he serves as singer and bassist for the experimental band The Laytcomers, bringing a similar sense of rhythm and improvisation to his painting process. His work has been exhibited at Hangart, Ryan Graff Contemporary, and the DeYoung Museum's young artists' showcase, where his distinctive approach to figurative painting continues to challenge conventional boundaries between abstraction and representation.