Natalia Preister

I am originally from Ukraine where I worked as a kindergarten teacher. I started drawing during the pandemic, when all the kindergartens in our city were closed. I found a teacher online who was giving a free webinar. I didn’t have any paints because all the stores were closed, but I remembered that someone once gave me children’s paints, and so I started drawing. I took the first webinar and then the second, and my fear of the blank sheet passed. This is how my journey into the world of art began. I painted with an online teacher for 2 years, mostly nature paintings. But still, my dream to paint portraits of people and animals seemed unattainable. I didn’t know how I would attain my dream. I only knew my dream was too strong to forget. When I came to America with my future husband in May of 2022 I started attending an art class at the Lakewood Center, which happened to be only a few blocks from our home. There I learned from the amazing portrait artist and teacher, Slava Radzishevka. Step by step, I began to draw portraits of people and animals. My happiness knew no bounds! For 2 years now I have been attending Slava’s art class and improving my skills. Why did I dream of painting people and animals? I wanted to tou...

I graduated in with a University degree in Ukraine as a teacher

Washington Heights Art Center in Lakewood