September 2022 Honoured to Receive the Helen Sinclair Sculpture Award

I am absolutely delighted to share some very special news. My sculpture 'Family Portrait'  has been selected as the winner of the prestigious Helen Sinclair Sculpture Award at the 161st Annual Exhibition of the Society of Women Artists (SWA) www.society-women-artists.org.uk/2022-exhibition, held at the Mall Galleries in London.

The award was presented by HRH Prince Michael of Kent during the official opening of the exhibition on 7th September 2022. It was an incredible honour to meet His Royal Highness — and even more special to share a brief conversation in my native Russian language.

Prince Michael kindly mentioned that he speaks a little Russian himself, explaining that he has Russian heritage, which made the exchange feel unexpectedly personal and deeply meaningful. A moment I will always treasure.

The exhibition itself was a remarkable event, opening with a guest evening in collaboration with Breast Cancer Now, featuring an auction of donated works that raised funds in support of this important cause.

To be recognised among so many talented artists, and to have my work highlighted in this way, is truly humbling. This award inspires me to continue pushing forward with my artistic journey, exploring new ideas, and sharing my work with a wider audience.

'All grown-ups were once children… but only a few of them remember it'. Antoine de Saint- Exupery.

'Family Portrait' is a sculpture that reflects on the passage of time and the enduring presence of childhood within us. It expresses the idea that while we grow older, we each carry a child inside: one who allows us to occasionally see the world through younger, more open eyes. Bird with a human-like face is a symbol of memory, representing those who are no longer physically present but remain emotionally close. It holds the quiet continuity between past and present, where absence is transformed into presence through remembrance and feeling.