An Artist
Inspired by Nature
All works can be purchased
Works
I imprint a cross-section of a tree, a leaf, a flower—it is like a seal of the divine order upon my paper. Around this fragment of nature, my story unfolds—the result of my perception of life.
Chinese painting
Peacock
ink, mineral pigments, gold leaf, rice paper on interlining
45*80 сm

The idea for the peacock came after visiting India, where they roam like chickens and simply live in the wild. After watching them—seeing them take off like elephants and land on thatched roofs, begging for food in the mornings, and whistling at night—I simply had to paint one.
The long song (Sold)
ink, mineral pigments, rice paper on interlining
58*34 см
Rooster and Hydrangeas
ink, mineral pigments, rice paper on interlining
47*87 сm

Happiness loves silence. The symbols in this painting are wishes for prosperity, well-being, and a happy family life.
Still Life with a Yellow Chrysanthemum
ink, mineral pigments, rice paper, non-woven base
70*90 сm
Love (Sold)
ink, mineral pigments, rice paper, non-woven base
50*70 сm
Landscape
ink, mineral pigments, rice paper, non-woven base
45*65 сm

Copying old masters
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Male images
The Soul of a Russian Man (Sold)
Gyotaku technique, ink, mineral pigments, rice paper on interlining
70х110 сm

My husband archetypically reveres fishing, that is his religion. The fishermen (in the background) fill Russia’s vast, frozen waters in winter in all parts of the country. This motif is not random—it reflects the reality of my life. The fish prints in the foreground are made using the gyotaku technique.
Meditation
ink, mineral pigments, rice paper on interlining
75*90 сm

This Russian fishman chants as written in famous Russian Fairy Tale (when the Fox taught the Wolf to fish in winter). Surrounding the figure and printed at the bottom are Japanese texts that repeat a mantra-like phrase:
「吸って:大きな魚、来い 吐いて:小さな魚、来い」,
translated as:
“Inhale — big fish, come. Exhale — small fish, come.”
This poetic incantation suggests a ritual of mindfulness and intention, where breath becomes a tool for attracting fish — a symbolic merging of nature, breath, and human will.
Dream Fish
Ink, rice paper, flocked paper
68*105 cm


The fish of your dreams is always out of reach.
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Sea Allegories
Diptych: Lures VS Fish 1
gyotaku technique, ink, mineral pigments, rice paper on interlining
80*120 сm

The first part of the diptych captures a battle between the living and the
inanimate. Among them, we see different qualities that might give one
side an advantage. But who truly has the upper hand? That is the
question.
Diptych: Lures VS Fish 2
gyotaku technique, ink, mineral pigments, rice paper on interlining
80*120 сm

The second part of the diptych removes this question from the
agenda entirely. The outcome is clear: the fish is sizzling with a
delicious crust on the plate, the beer is already on the table, and at last, it
becomes evident that this battle was just a game—where a third force
has claimed the true victory.
Dialogues on Art
gyotaku technique, ink, mineral pigments, rice paper on interlining
70*130 сm

My reflection on contemporary art course study. A dorado fish was the model. Discussions about contemporary art. If composition, color choices, and craftsmanship are no longer standards, and what surprises or shocks is now considered the benchmark of the modern art, then isn’t oceanic trash the same for these sea creatures? “What is this?” one asks.
“Is it dangerous or edible?” Another suggests that it might be contemporary art that has drifted into their world.
Stop, Run 1
gyotaku technique, ink, mineral pigments, rice paper on interlining
70*130 сm

Stop, run, stop, run—
Someone's voice echoed.
Stop, run, stop, run—
The seasons turn, and repeat again.
Though no one gives the command anymore,
These feet cannot stop.
Even in dreams, they keep running,
And by morning, only a tired shadow remains.
Will these endless footsteps
Ever turn into silence?
Like ripples stirring the water’s surface,
I watch the fish swim by—
Stop, Run 2
gyotaku technique, ink, mineral pigments, rice paper on interlining
70*130 сm

終わりなき足音
止まれ、走れ、止まれ、走れ——
誰かの声が響いていた。
止まれ、走れ、止まれ、走れ——
季節が巡り、また繰り返す。
命じる者はもういないのに、
この足は止まれない。
夢の中でも駆け続け、
朝には疲れた影が残る。
この終わらぬ足音を、
いつか静寂に変えられるのだろうか?
ただ水面を揺らす波のように、
魚の泳ぐ姿を見つめながら——
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Philosophical concepts
Diptych Yin-Yang 1 (Sold)
Plant leaf print, ink, mineral pigments, rice paper on interlining
50х68 сm

A print from Manchurian walnut leaves, which grow in Siberia. One leaf, in dark tones, represents the feminine aspect, with an excerpt from a description of a spring Shinto ritual in the background.
Diptych Yin-Yang 2
Plant leaf print, ink, mineral pigments, rice paper on interlining
50х68 сm

A print from Manchurian walnut leaves, which grow in Siberia.
The other, a bright “yang” leaf, is placed over the text of a male Shinto purification ritual.
Kinkakuji
ink, mineral pigments, golden foil, rice paper on interlining
77*90 сm

This work is inspired by Yukio Mishima’s novel The Temple of the Golden Pavilion. In 1950, a young monk could no longer bear the contrast between his own low self-esteem and the divine splendor of the famous Kinkaku-ji temple, whose walls were covered in pure gold. The Goddess of Mercy, Kannon (whose statue stood on the third level of the temple), watches. Her name consists of two characters — 観 meaning "to see" and 音 meaning "to hear."
The temple bursts into flames in silence; only on the surface of the pond do characters appear — a response from the temple and the Goddess Kannon: “Ignorance and a sense of one’s own insignificance destroy worlds.”
Seagulls — in Buddhism and Japanese culture — are almost like guides, leading the soul through the fog of existence. Here, however, they evoke a feeling of anxiety and chaos, perhaps because they too have lost their way along with the monk’s soul.
Kintsugi 1
Ink, pigments, tallow, rice paper, flocking
Imprints of plants – fern and horsetail
48*70 cm

In my works, nature and ceramics are combined into a single image of a tea ceremony. Fern and horsetail – plants associated with memory, time and steadfastness, I made the background for a teapot and a cup, restored by the kintsugi method. The golden lines of gluing remind that there is nothing eternal in the world, everything goes through withering and renewal. The tea ceremony teaches us to see value in the simple and imperfect. The cracks in the ceramics, accentuated by the gold, become not a flaw, but a source of beauty. Thus, the teapot and cup, surrounded by ferns and horsetails, transform into images of memory and presence, revealing the true spirit of tea.
Kintsugi 2
Ink, pigments, tallow, rice paper, flocking
Prints of plants
48*70 cm

In my works, nature and ceramics are combined into a single image of a tea ceremony. Fern and horsetail – plants associated with memory, time and steadfastness, I made the background for a teapot and a cup, restored by the kintsugi method. The golden lines of gluing remind that there is nothing eternal in the world, everything goes through withering and renewal. The tea ceremony teaches us to see value in the simple and imperfect. The cracks in the ceramics, accentuated by the gold, become not a flaw, but a source of beauty. Thus, the teapot and cup, surrounded by ferns and horsetails, transform into images of memory and presence, revealing the true spirit of tea.
Enso of 108 coins
65*90 cm

«108 impressions of coins merging into the line of Enso. A symbol of how the endless pursuit of the external – money, things, even spiritual experiences – creates only an illusion of the path, covering with itself the simple and quiet truth within us».

This circle of Enso is made up of 108 impressions of coins – a number symbolizing in the Buddhist tradition the multitude of human passions, illusions and attachments.
The circle seems to be moving counterclockwise, not towards liberation, but rather towards being drawn into a cycle of desire. We earn, save, and strive for possession, following our passions, and each imprint of a coin becomes a trace of this pursuit. Money, which should be a means, becomes a goal, leading us to a state of constant dissatisfaction.
Counterclockwise is a path that goes against the flow of life, as our desires draw us deeper into the cycle of accumulation. However, by becoming aware of this cycle, we have a chance to see its boundaries and transcend the material realm.
The Parable of the Joy of Pisces
The prints are inscribed with quotes from the parable. A dialogue between Zhuangzi and his friend about understanding the joy of fish. Zhuangzi says that by being in harmony with the flow of life and observing the world, one can understand the feelings of other beings. The painting with the quote from the parable is my reminder of this possibility.
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Humankind
Even Lotuses Would Be Amazed (Sold)
Ink, mineral pigments, rice paper on interlining
50*70 сm

This work is a result of my reflection on ghost cities in China. The city of Kangbashi, in particular, completely stunned me. Built for one and a half million people with full infrastructure, it stands completely empty—no one lives there. Along with me, the lotuses on the lake gaze with their round eyes, blinking in bewilderment. The dissonance between the square forms of the metropolis and the round, organic shapes of nature, combined with a warm - cold color palette, enhances the impression.
Today’s delivery to Heaven: one little fish
ink, mineral pigments, rice paper on interlining
200*70 сm

The transience of life, where even Heaven is reduced to an absurd 'addressless delivery.' Here, the Japanese language bureaucratic register—the kind typically used in logistics, postal, or transportation notices—is employed to frame mortality as just another mundane formality. I wish that in this world of wars and turmoil, the so-called 'delivery to Heaven' would be nothing more than... a single fish.

Golden Illusions
ink, mineral pigments, golden foil, rice paper on interlining
75*70 сm

The title of this painting can be interpreted in two ways: as a reference to the autumn season or as a nod to the idea that this is the time of money. The work was conceived as a metaphor: autumn leaves, especially ginkgo, symbolize change and the relentless passage of time in Eastern culture. Their falling reminds us of the transience of life and the natural cycles of nature.
Similarly, modern technological development and the popularity of cryptocurrencies reflect the dual nature of value — on the one hand, its ephemerality, and on the other, its equivalence to tangible material goods. These reflections formed the basis for the creation of the painting, which emphasizes that money has become one of the key factors in modern human life.
Tourism (Sold)
ink, mineral pigments, rice paper on interlining
60*42 сm

The season of red maples in Japan is a time of great beauty — and great crowds of tourists.
Crowded paths turn into endless streams of people, dissolving into rhythms, lines, and brushstrokes.
Even in this whirl of movement, there is harmony — as if the wind itself is painting their path, turning the bustle into part of the autumn landscape.
Environmental theme.
Ink, mineral paints, rice paper, non-woven base
50*80 cm
The Wheel of History
Ink, rice paper with real petals and leaves, pigments, flocking
70*88 cm

In an era of armed conflicts, when the wheel of history rolls and crushes human destinies and lives, thin rice paper with natural leaves and flowers and the imprint of a heavy SUV provide a sense of the world's events.
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About your own…
The Music of My Life
Ink, mineral pigments, rice paper on interlining, gold leaf
75х70 сm

A print from a tree cross-section, resembling a vinyl record on a gramophone. The tree’s growth rings—uneven, black and white, and sometimes golden—symbolize my life. Postcards and letters, addressed to me and sent by me to my friends, children, parents, and lovers.
Rain in Kamakura (Sold)
ink, mineral pigments, rice paper on interlining
50х70 сm

In autumn, when the momiji maples turn crimson, or in spring, when the cherry blossoms bloom, Kamakura is especially crowded. But I love Kamakura in early winter. The gray paths, the houses, and against this backdrop of quiet grayness, the persimmons glow in bright orange on the trees.
On rainy days, there are no tourists; the locals stay indoors. Only the umbrellas of the occasional passerby drift above the pathways like floating petals. In the Buddhist and Shinto temples, the smoke from burning incense refuses to rise to the gods in the heavens. Instead, it lingers low, and in the end, the raindrops press it gently down onto the stone-paved paths.
Kamakura is the only place in Japan where I switch my camera to black-and-white mode. It is so beautiful, so self-sufficient in the simplicity of its forms, that I leave all the bright colors to the tourist camera flashes.
Three moods: Thinking about him. Creative crisis
tree cross-section print, ink, mineral pigments, rice paper on interlining
30х40 сm

When a painting is finished, the artist feels joy and satisfaction and stamps the work with the seal. This is the sweetest moment. But here, a cold autumn rain falls, and all the seals lie in a sugar bowl like candies.
Three moods. Thinking about him. Overcoming temptation (Sold)
ink, mineral pigments, rice paper on interlining
40*50 сm

Sitting down to meditate and reciting mantras, my thoughts slowly drift toward him, the mantras begin to lose their meaning, some of the characters fade away, my thoughts blur. And although the yellow ginkgo leaves symbolize resilience and wisdom, that’s not about me today.
Three moods. Thinking about him. He stayed overnight.
Ink, mineral paints, rice paper, non-woven base
30*40 cm

The bell rings in the heart,
the wind reads love poems,
turning the pages,
the flowers are fragrant.
Self-portrait
ink, mineral pigments, rice paper on interlining
40*60 сm

This self-portrait is a meditation on identity and inner search. The empty silhouette signifies the absence of a defined self — a rejection of conventional notions of "I". On rice paper, a handwritten question reads: “Where is my true self? I am not this body, and I am not this mind.” Beside it lie a brush and ink — the tools used to express this doubt. The work breathes with silence and fragility, echoing Eastern philosophy, where emptiness is not a lack but a space for truth to emerge.
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Contacts
Email: Jkovalch2000@yahoo.com
Julia Kovalchuk
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