Elena was born in the ancient city of Chernigov, in Ukraine. She spent her childhood in Kamchatka Peninsula; a northeastern region at the tip of Russia, famous for its ice and fire landscape of more than 300 volcanoes. In 1992, Elena and her family escaped the Soviet regime and relocated to New York City. 

Elena is a practicing psychiatrist who began creating jewelry for herself as a personal passion. Inspired by her walks through Central Park – an urban sanctuary and natural refuge – the forms emerged organically from her hands.

During the pandemic, Elena and her family spent lockdown in the Poconos Mountains, where Elena wandered the forest with her daughters, collecting unusual pieces of trees and stones, which served as inspiration for the collection.

In September of 2020, Elena was diagnosed with breast cancer. Several months later, her mother, who was also a breast cancer survivor, passed away. 

HEALING THROUGH CRAFT & NATURE

In taking on the forms of the earth, the jewelry pieces and its sculpting process became a way for Elena to connect with the healing forces of nature.

Raw, substantive, and textural, the pieces evoke the forests where she walked, the volcanoes where she spent her childhood, and Central Park, which continues to serve as her nature sanctuary in New York City.

Over time, encouraged by the interest of strangers and friends, Elena brought forth her collection, lovingly named after her father, Vitaliy.

Elena’s wish is to channel this connection to nature – and its resilience, beauty, and power – to all those who wear her jewelry. 

In memory of her mother, Nina, Elena will donate a portion of her proceeds to nonprofits and organizations for breast cancer research and support.