About Alina Madan
Born in Ukraine, raised in Russia, and now living in the United States, I carry the influence of three distinct cultures into every painting I create. Though my formal education is in finance and economics, my true calling has always been art.
From childhood, I found joy in exploring creativity—starting with watercolors, chalk, and charcoal. It wasn’t until I discovered oil paints that everything clicked. I’m largely self-taught, but I refined my techniques through private lessons in Russia and countless hours of personal exploration.
Today, I work primarily with oil paints and a palette knife on stretched canvas. My style leans toward serene, dreamlike landscapes—places where reality blends with imagination. I’m especially drawn to water in all its forms—oceans, rain, reflections—because of the calm and introspection it evokes.
Now based in Maple Grove, Minnesota, my work has been exhibited locally and is held in private collections across the U.S. and internationally.
Artist Statement
My art is my retreat—a quiet place where the noise fades and stillness speaks.
I use oil paints to build texture, depth, and emotion on canvas. My tools are simple: a palette knife, my hands, and cloth. Each piece I create is rooted in nature, with water as a recurring theme—its calmness, its mystery, its infinite inspiration.
To me, painting is about more than capturing a view. It’s about capturing a feeling—a moment of reflection, peace, and possibility.