Inna
Polnar was born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, a former Republic
of the Soviet Union. After completing a rigorous curriculum
there, she decided to pursue her passion and applied to
the Moscow University of Art. Inna's parents were not excited
about her choice; they were even less excited about the
1738 miles which would separate them if she got accepted.
Against all odds, a letter arrived in the mail congratulating
Inna on her acceptance to Moscow Art University to study
art.
At
the young and optimistic age of seventeen, Inna boarded
an airplane for the first time in her life, and unaccompanied,
moved to a new and exciting city.
She found Moscow to be a capital teeming with art, music
and theater. Cultural influence instantly penetrated her
soul. Inna's experience at the university was one which
challenged and enlightened her. Her next-to religious attendance
of the Tretyakov Gallery, Pushkin Museum, Russian Museum
and the Hermitage along with the studies of Russian artists
Valentin Serov, Ilya Repin and Igor Vrubel served as a foundation
for Inna's classical artistic approach.
Soon
after graduation, Inna was accepted as a member of the USSR
Artists Union which gave her the opportunity to exhibit
her works in art galleries. But it was her love of theater
which pushed her to make her first career choice; combining
her passion for fine and performing art, Inna started working
as a stage artist at various Moscow theaters.
In
1989 Inna and her family decided to take another airplane
flight- one slightly longer than her first.
After 4676 miles, Inna and her family settled in New York
City.
Inna's
American counselors advised her to steer away from art,
saying that it was not a lucrative career choice and instead
advised her to take a more practical path. Inna took their
advice and stopped working as a painter, but her passion
for art led her to learn and master graphic design. After
driving from coast to coast with the entire family, Inna
become a Senior Graphic Designer in the Silicon Valley working
for Bechtel, Adaptec, Fujitsu and NEC Computers. Although
she enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle and respect at work,
something was missing.
It
was the new millennium that brought revelation and change.
In 2000, Inna found a beautiful retail space in downtown
San Mateo and envisioned a state-of-the-art studio where
she could paint and pass her knowledge on to others. With
the support of her family and friends, Inna founded Art
Academia- European School of Fine Art.
Inna has studied under the famous American colorist
Ovanes Berbarian who was the student of the great Russian
artist Sergei
Bongart. She has also hosted numerous workshops and
seminars with Mr. Boris
I. Kokhno a professor of the Russian Academy of Arts
in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Inna's
ability to infuse still-life with emotion and movement and
landscapes with airiness and serenity
is a testament to her passion for art. Her art is appreciated
by art lovers and collectors for her use
of color and unique brushstrokes.
