Born in Ukraine, artist Nadia Volna grew up in a military family, serving more than 10 years as a rescue paratrooper in the air force. Volna discovered her passion of painting after receiving a set of paints and canvas as a gift. Not having a brush and without the constrictions of formal training, Volna used balled up paper towels as a painting instrument and dabbed the canvas with paint and until later discovering her own technique and style.

She immediately began painting with prolific fervor, which she now recognizes was as muchabout her artistic side being awakened as it was about discovering a way to "quell the painful emotions and passions" regarding the crisis that has befallen her native country of Ukraine. It wasn't long before her desire to create outpaced her ability to procure fresh canvases, so she began to paint new images over her old creations. She discovered that when she employed her "scratch" technique, aspects of the original painting would be revealed.

This effect was so striking that Volna began to develop and incorporate this technique as part of her unique process; she lays the canvas flat on the floor and applies layers of paint and allows them to dry. She then applies a final layer of paint and creates images before "scratching" out patterns with a serrated acrylic spatula, revealing the under-layer of paint. It's a painstaking and creative discovery of images inspired through this self healing process because she only has one chance to bring the two layers together.

For Volna, creating art is as much about the appreciation of everyday beauty-like the smile of a child or sensuality of movement and vibration of the human spirit, as it is about creating her own micro-climate and island of love. She says, "my art is my solace in the wilderness where I can reflect on the wishes of my heart."