Biography

Living and working in Sydney for the past 30 years, Galina Yurakova has drawn her inspiration for her paintings from the natural environment. She has been inspired by the desert flowers in central and western Australia and the waterways in and around Sydney. She uses a very detailed approach to her oil painting, layering the light effects with the texture of the subject. Galina’s paintings are also influenced by her recent interest in swimming. Her “Seascape” series captures the movement of the water over the rocks and seaweed beneath, giving a sense of depth and coolness.


Born in Donetsk, Ukraine in 1935, Galina Yurkova graduated with a Diploma of Fine Art in 1960. Fleeing the aftermath of Chernobyl and the breakdown of communism in the Soviet Union, Galina and her family came to Australia to live. Her Daughter, Svetlana won the National Art Prize in the Ukraine at age sixteen and has continued to paint in Australia as has her son Oles.