<p>Yana Payusova was born in Leningrad, USSR, and holds an MFA in Interdisciplinary Media Arts Practices from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Her paintings and sculptures blend the styles and symbols of folk art, icons, graphic poster art, illustration, and comics, reflecting both her cultural heritage and her training in traditional Russian realist painting. Payusova has exhibited her work nationally and internationally, including recent venues at the Museu de Ceràmica de l’Alcora Spain) Ceramic Avenue Art Gallery Jingdezhen, China) Howard Yezerski Gallery Boston) Conduit Gallery Dallas) and the New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum Taiwan) She was an Artist-in-Residence at the Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Center in Denmark and C.R.E.T.A. Rome in Italy, as well as a Visiting Artist at the Anderson Ranch Art Center in Snowmass, Colorado. Recently, Payusova was commissioned to create an installation for em>The Real Unreal< Meow Wolf’s fourth permanent exhibit in Grapevine, Texas. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Practice and the FYE Program Chair at the School of Art, University of Arizona, in Tucson.