Cherchil Anna

Biography

I was born in Leningrad in 1982. I live and work in Saint Petersburg. In 2005, I graduated from the University of Technology and Design with a degree in Architecture and Design.

My journey in art began with a classical academic education. In 2004, during my final year of studies, I collaborated with a fellow student on the decorative painting of a Georgian restaurant in Saint Petersburg. Working on a large‑scale project in a traditional style provided me with invaluable experience in engaging with architectural spaces and meeting clients’ requirements.

The year 2007 marked a period of creative exploration and my first steps into art collecting. During this time, I created a series of intimate works in dry pastel: lyrical still lifes and whimsical portraits of pagan maidens. These pieces found their first buyers and now adorn private interiors — an important milestone that allowed me to experience direct dialogue between an artist and the future owner of an artwork.

Also in 2007, I made my debut exhibition at the Union of Artists, presenting a series of pastel landscapes under the title “There Is Danger in the Abyss”.

From 2012 to 2015, I worked actively as a design decorator specializing in creating developmental environments for children. My key project was the network of children’s medical centers “Virilis”, where I not only developed design concepts and personally painted play areas and lobbies, but also served as an art director, commissioning other artists to execute my sketches. This experience continued from 2013 to 2015 with wall paintings in private kindergartens in Peterhof and in a unique Traffic Rules Education Center for schoolchildren.

Between 2016 and 2020, I advanced to a new level: designing holistic interiors where wall painting became the architectural centerpiece of the space.

Key projects from this period include:

A two‑story cottage in the Leningrad Region, for which I developed a mural concept in the style of Flemish frescoes featuring landscape scenes. The fireplace portal was decorated with ethnic dragon motifs. These works were executed by a talented painter following my sketches.

A view apartment in Saint Petersburg, where I collaborated with a sculptor to create custom reliefs above the seating area — the three‑dimensional forms extended the visual narrative of the paintings.

The interior of a country house with vibrant floral wallpaper. For this project, I commissioned a cold porcelain bouquet that replicated the wallpaper pattern down to the smallest detail. The effect of a “living bouquet” became the emotional and conceptual highlight of the space.

The design of an Ayurvedic center in an Indian style, which included mosaic panels and temple‑inspired wall paintings to immerse visitors in an authentic atmosphere.

From 2019 to 2022, my practice took on a new, more intimate dimension. I began creating large interior paintings in collaboration with children aged 4–6. Under my careful guidance, the young artists produced abstract compositions on large canvases — handprints, ink blots, and chaotic acrylic lines. I then acted as a director, refining and completing these works, transforming children’s spontaneity into finished artworks. These paintings now decorate children’s rooms in country houses belonging to my clients, preserving the warmth of shared creativity.

In 2022, I returned to active exhibition work with a solo series of abstract textured paintings. My experiments with texture and color resonated strongly with audiences, earning a wealth of positive feedback.

An important milestone in my professional development was participating in a major design event — “Designer’s Day. White Nights”, held on June 22, 2024, at the Grand Emerald Hotel on Suvorovsky Prospect. This event, which brought together approximately 1,500 professionals — interior designers, architects, and artists — provided an opportunity to present my work at the heart of current design trends.

Today, my creative laboratory is a synthesis of all my previous experience. I work at the intersection of naive art, primitivism, impressionism, and a lighthearted, kind‑hearted cartoonish aesthetic. In 2025, I launched the “Fish” series, and 2026 marked the debut of a new collection — “In the Meadow”.

In these works, I continue to explore the theme first introduced in my pastel fairy‑tale portraits and further developed through interior projects and collaborations with children: the harmony between spontaneity and a professional approach to form. My characters inhabit a world where one wants to smile — where color and texture shape the mood, and apparent simplicity conceals a deep love for the medium and for the viewer.