YULIYA MARTYNOVA

I was born and raised in an oily little town on the Caspian Sea in Kazakhstan back in 1980 — glamorous, I know. For the past 20+ years though, I’ve called the UK home.

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I trained in classical arts, but I first (tried and basically failed) to built a career in law. Fifteen years in the corporate jungle, jetting around the globe (Daaa...I wish!), suits and contracts galore (hated that prison)… and then I finally came around to let it go and try to become a real artist. The reluctant career choice where you never make any money, but against all the odds I am getting much better at it. The painting side at least :).

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Fast forward, these days, people recognise my work for its soft, dreamlike feel — think weightless clouds you want to sink into — which has opened doors to London and US galleries, collaborations with luxury brands, fancy hospitality projects , UK  members clubs, and medical spaces (Memorial Sloan Kettering NY and Shirley Ryan Ability Lab Chicago ).

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My paintings have had their five minutes of fame too: they’ve popped up in Doctor Strange (Marvel, 2016), Scandal (ABC, 2017), Wild Cherry (BBC, 2025), and have graced everything from fine dining spots like Amelie Belgravia to Palm Beach’s The Breakers Hotel, Park Hyatt Aviara , San Diego, Timbers Kauai Hawaii, many more. Many now are in London City offices, keeping financiers company between spreadsheets with my cool art consultants ARTIQ. In 2024, Huntsman on Savile Row showcased my work during Mayfair Art Week — a pinch-me moment.

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My themes? Skyscapes that flirt with fragility and strength. Sailboats drifting in solitude. City-tinged abstracts on paper. And blossoms that remind me nature’s always in cycle mode — blooming, fading, returning.