01
Early portrait study · 2016
Intuitive Geometry of the Body
Careful observation and cross-hatched shadow reveal the disciplined line that still runs beneath my later fantasy and color.
DANA-dm-MAZE
Art of inner worlds & unseen connections · Original acrylic paintings
I trace the hidden current running through people, nature, memory, and the cosmos. Every line is my invitation to remember connection.
One whole · Myriad forms · Painted by hand
The invitation
“I believe that beneath every difference is a hidden foundation: one living field moving through all things. We are not isolated bodies in an empty universe. We are the universe—divided into myriad forms so it can see, feel, and rediscover itself.”
Denver-based artist & writer
Meet the mind behind the maze.
I am the artist and Russian-language writer behind DANA-dm-MAZE. Drawing has been part of my life since childhood; writing later became another path into the same inner worlds. My visual language moves through surrealism, fantasy, abstraction, psychedelic color, pop energy, mysticism, and the grotesque—without belonging to a single genre.
For me, art is a way of listening to the subconscious and revealing connections that exist beneath the visible surface. My paintings begin on primed canvas with professional-grade acrylics. I treat the edges as part of the composition, seal each finished work with varnish, and often add glitter, iridescent color, or rhinestones so the image changes with light.
I welcome commissions for canvas, walls, and wearable art, as well as thoughtful creative collaborations.
From my written worlds
A short quote from my book
Originally published online in Russian
The cosmo-mixer is ready—just press it, and everything will sing! Rue, chocolate cosmos, blue lotuses, ginger hives, monardas, lavender, and violets; green herbs never seen before; taut, tart-golden cherry-plum bellies—crumbs of stars; coconut shavings of shimmering ether; plum jam of matter; the peppery fire of sunlight; the coffee froth of planets newly burst into mist…
Original acrylic portrait · painted from photographs
New commission offering · Pet portraits
Their presence,
painted by hand.
From your photographs, I create an original acrylic portrait centered on your animal’s likeness, character, and the bond you share. The result can be calm and naturalistic or—if you wish—more expressive and imaginative.
01Natural portrait
A recognizable, gently painted portrait with a neutral or carefully chosen background.
02Expressive portrait
If you prefer, color, atmosphere, and imaginative details can make the portrait more personal—without losing your animal’s likeness.
Private quoteEach portrait is priced individually.
Pricing is tailored to canvas size, number of animals, background, level of detail, special finishes, and shipping. I confirm the photographs, concept, and exact quote with you personally before any payment is requested.
The Gallery · DANA-dm-MAZE
Creative works.
Living worlds.
A collection of original paintings made from color, line, shimmer, rhinestones, and imagination. Enter the gallery to meet each world more closely.
Explore the gallery ↗From my written worlds
A short quote from my book
Originally published online in Russian
They had prayed to the wrong gods—that was why their pleas went unanswered. But today, everything changed. Only now did they see the world as it had always been…
Support the studio
Help this living world
keep growing.
Not every connection with art begins with owning a painting. If my work has stayed with you, a small one-time tip helps me keep painting, writing, and bringing new inner worlds into view.
Support the art ↗Every contribution, from $1 upward, is warmly welcome.
If you’re unsure, $5 is a lovely way to help.
If you’re unsure, $5 is a lovely way to help.
Early archive · the line before the maze
Before the worlds,
the first signals.
These selected works from my earlier practice show how my visual language began to take shape: observation became stylization, color became character, and portraiture gradually opened into a symbolic field.
Not offered as part of my current collection · preserved as part of my story02
April 2015 · age 19, nearly 20
Stromae
In April 2015, shortly before I turned twenty, I drew this portrait on a single sheet of lightweight A4 paper using graphite pencil, colored pencils, and a fineliner.
03
Colored-pencil portrait study · 2014 · age 19
Velvet Goldmine
At nineteen, I was fascinated by Christian Bale’s work. I made this portrait study with colored pencils on an ordinary sheet of A4 paper.
04
2013 · age 18
On Both Sides of Myself
At eighteen, this drawing became one of my first breakthroughs into imagination. Without consciously intending it, I filled the image with symbols—perhaps an early expression of the intuitive way I think. The central portrait was based on Marlene Dietrich.
05
2015 · age 20 · intuitive drawing
Perception of the Subtle Plane
At twenty, I made this work on an ordinary sheet of sketchbook paper using markers and a black fineliner. With no preliminary drawing or sketch, I tried to bring my inner space onto the page through visual, intuitive observation of what lies hidden within the very structure of the world. Here, lines become a way of perceiving energy: by tuning in to its wave, I can sense it almost physically without touching it. I still love intuitive drawing—a practice I approached one drawing at a time.
From my written worlds
A short quote from my book
Originally published online in Russian
Once you flow into infinity, the hurry-wind will trouble you no more—down in its depths, all is always calm. Serenity brings your gaze into focus; you begin to notice so much around you—right now, beneath your feet and above your head.
Private commissions
Your story is part
of the larger story.
I create custom paintings as well as works from my existing collection. A commission can begin with a person, a place, a memory, a transition—or the invisible connection between them.
- 01Conversation
Together, we find the emotional center, palette, scale, and place the work will inhabit.
- 02Vision
I share a written concept and tonal study with you before the painting begins.
- 03Painting & completion
I paint the work by hand, share a final preview, then sign, varnish, and carefully prepare it for the delivery method we agreed on.
Creative lessons · Ages 4–12
A private space to
draw, imagine & grow.
I shape each one-to-one art session around the child’s age, interests, confidence, and natural way of seeing. Together, we can explore drawing, color, visual storytelling, and the joy of turning an idea into something real.
Founding student rates
Ask Dana on WhatsApp ↗This is a newly opened part of my creative practice. I am an active artist beginning my journey as a private art mentor, so I am offering introductory rates while I build my teaching experience. The first lesson is also a gentle chance for the child, parent, and artist to see whether the connection feels right.
Choose a lesson to ask Dana about availability on WhatsApp.
01Ages 4–6
Little Explorers
A playful, gently paced session for discovering line, shape, color, and imagination.
45 minutes$35
Ask about this lesson 02Ages 7–12
Young Creators
A focused lesson built around the child’s interests, ideas, and growing artistic confidence.
60 minutes$45
Ask about this lesson 03Four-lesson path
Creative Journey
Four one-hour sessions for developing a project or building skills through a connected sequence.
4 × 60 minutes$160
Ask about this lesson path Lessons at your home: I travel to the child for every session. We agree on longer travel and any special materials before booking.
Thank you for visiting
You walked through
my living maze.
Thank you for entering my world. I hope its colors, creatures, and constellations have left a small spark with you. This is not an ending—it is an open door into the next shared connection.
Seeking kindred spirits
If my way of seeing feels close to yours, I would love to hear from you—whether you want to exchange ideas, share a world, or imagine a collaboration.
Begin a creative connection ↗