Fish, 2014, Acrylic on canvas, 24″ x 36″ Irene Koval, a Ukrainian artist originally from Odessa, was raised in a family of carnies (father was an engineer for the circus and mother was a skilled acrobat). Irene worked in the circus as a child, training wild animals and performing acrobatic acts. Her childhood was as unusual as it was difficult, always moving to new places all over Russia as a part of the soviet circus lifestyle. After graduating from circus institute and officially becoming a part of the soviet circus,　Irene found herself greatly stimulated by her creativity. At this time, she was collecting a diversity of skill and technique from the various art classes she was attending in different parts of the Former Soviet Union as she was traveling all over the country with her circus. Irene had a strong passion for the fine arts and theater. From 1983 to 1987 she attended the State Art Theatrical College in Odessa and became a property master puppeteer and art sculpture doll designer. After graduation, she was participating in numerous fine art exhibitions in Ukraine and Russia. In 1989 she immigrated to the United States, settling in New York to continue her pursuit of a career in art. In 1994 Irene graduated from Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) as a textile and surface designer. She worked for different design studios but her love of the fine arts and theater never died. Irene has been painting, constructing Dolls, and even assembling jewelry all her life. Her style and technique has transformed over the years but Irene always finds that most of all, her art is influenced by her experience as a circus performer.