About Yelena Bondarenko

Yelena Bondarenko (1975, Karaganda, Kazakhstan) is a visual artist based in Belgium. Her artistic journey began with a formal education in the visual arts, where she specialised as a drawing teacher. This didactic background laid a solid foundation in technique and composition, but it was her relentless drive for texture and depth that defined her path as a professional artist.

A turning point in her development was the international masterclass in Milan, Italy, at the "Beyond Borders" school. Here, she refined her technique in working with texture pastes and acrylic paints, a method that is now central to her practice. Her works are deeply inspired by her travels and the natural elements she observes – from the Ionian Islands to the serene horizons of the North.

Yelena actively participates in exhibitions and art projects and is a member of various art communities, where she continues to experiment with materials such as epoxy resin alongside her signature acrylic and texture paste.

“My paintings are created in layers. Just like nature itself, each work builds up with acrylic and texture on canvas. Light, inner silence, and the cyclical rhythms of the seasons form my starting point. The sea, the horizon, and the transience of life are themes that constantly recur.

The layered texture is essential to me. It is not just a technique, but a way to capture and hold light. Each layer adds calm, depth, and a tangible dimension. My aim is to create a work that invites introspection, to feel a beauty that transcends words and touches the soul."