Zoya Byelovolova

My work explores the tension between spontaneity and structure, using expressive mark-making and layered composition to evoke emotional nuance and psychological depth. I blend figurative suggestions with abstract forms, often allowing the medium to guide the evolution of the piece. My palette tends to be restrained but purposeful—muted earth tones and soft pastels contrast with sharper gestural lines or darker accents, creating a dynamic interplay between calm and intensity.

There’s a tactile quality to my surfaces: paper, paint, and pencil interact in ways that suggest erosion, memory, and impermanence. Recurring themes in my work include transformation, inner states, and liminality. Figures may appear partially obscured or dissolved, as if caught in motion or on the edge of recognition—inviting the viewer to complete or question the image.

I work intuitively, often beginning without a clear endpoint, allowing emotional response and subconscious pattern to dictate form. The result is a body of work that feels both intimate and open-ended, encouraging reflection on what lies beneath the surface of the visible.

Master of Arts in Management and Leadership, Bachelor of Fine Arts

London