"Sky & Rocks" Painting

Igor Khalandovskiy – Artist Biography

My name is Igor Khalandovskiy. I was born in Kharkiv, Ukraine, where my passion for art began in childhood. I attended the Art School for Children, nurturing a dream to become a professional artist.

After high school, I pursued my studies at the Kharkiv Art Academy, where I spent seven years mastering painting, drawing, composition, graphic illustration, and industrial design. As one of the top students of my class, several of my projects received awards for best art design at international exhibitions. I graduated in 1991 with a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts and began my professional career as a graphic artist and art designer.

For the past nineteen years, I have lived and worked in the United States, expanding my expertise in graphic design and digital animation. To further enhance my skills in digital art, I enrolled at Iowa State University, where I am nearing completion of a second Master’s Degree in digital visualization and landscape architecture.

Throughout my career, I have continued working as a freelance artist, exploring watercolor, tempera, acrylic, digital photo manipulation, and 3D rendered art. For the past four years, I have also taught graphic art and design at Des Moines Area Community College (Ankeny Campus), sharing my knowledge and experience with aspiring artists.

My professional practice is distinctive because it bridges classical academic training with modern digital techniques. In my art, I strive to synthesize the natural beauty of the world with the uniqueness of my imagination. My earlier works are primarily romantic and fairytale-like, executed in watercolor and tempera. Over time, I incorporated oil and acrylics, while continuing to paint on paper and canvas. In recent years, I have combined traditional painting with digital art and photography to further expand my creative expression.

Thematically, my work blends symbolism and surrealism, offering a unique perspective on life as a dynamic interplay between dreams and reality. I often create fantastical landscapes filled with symbolic architecture inspired by ancient civilizations, including Egypt, Assyria, Sumer, and India. These elements reflect my vision of life, family, history, and the fate of my homeland.

Technically, my paintings employ mixed media, including tempera, pastel, watercolor, acrylic, and oil paints.