Tonya’s artistic training began at age 6 in Khabarovsk city, Far East of Russia and she has been drawing and painting ever since. By age 10, she was selected for the Children's Art school and had the opportunity to study with local instructors and artists.
Tonya pursued her interest in art at College of Fine Arts where she gained fundamental knowledge in composition and form, she also developed skills such as draftsmanship and paint application. She graduated in 1996 earning a Bachelor's Degree in Graphic Arts.
In 1997 Tonya moved to Northern California. During the ensuing decade she developed a promising career in web and graphic design. Throughout these years she continued her artistic pursuits, devoting more and more time to working with oils. In addition to active painting with the BACPAC group, she pursued advanced studies in plein air with Brigitte Curt, as well as taking workshops and master classes with renowned artists Brian Blood and Ovanes Berberian.
Recently, Tonya has begun painting for gallery exhibitions and local and out-of-state juried shows. Tonya’s current work is shown at Gallery Elite in Carmel, but her paintings are in private collections in California and throughout the United States, as well as in Russia.