JULIA IVANISOVA

We can do it Mixed media on canvas 15 x 30 in From the series “American Dream: Through the Eyes of Immigrant” This painting reflects my very first job in America after I moved here. It was in the Blackstone Building in Downtown , where I worked full-time in cleaning . At that time, I could hardly understand English, but every day I cleaned those toilets, counting them one by one until my exhibition in New York. For a girl growing up in Ukraine, showing my art in New York once felt impossible. Yet I knew I could carve my path to that dream here, step by step—even starting from the bottom. This work is about finding strength and vision in the most unexpected places. If you have a dream, you can see it—even at the bottom of a toilet bowl. With this painting, I want to encourage all people who come to America and begin their journey from the lowest point. We Can Do It.

It’s a new day Mixed media on canvas 18 x 24 in From the series “American Dream: Through the Eyes of an Immigrant” This painting reflects my first morning in America — after everything I had lived through in Ukraine. I remember going out for a run and feeling like I’d stepped into a movie: neighbors smiling and waving, perfectly trimmed lawns, quiet streets bathed in golden light. It felt surreal, almost like Pleasantville — so calm, so safe, it was hard to believe it was real. But with time, I learned that Jacksonville isn’t Pleasantville. It’s a real city, with real stories and real people. And after more than three years here, I’ve realized that the most important reason to stay in this city is its creative community — the artists, dreamers, and makers who bring this place to life, along with the people who believe in this city and work every day to make it better.

Women of Jax Canvas, ink, liner, marker 20 x 24 in This painting is inspired by the women I've met in Jacksonville, each with her own story and journey. But it is not about any single one of them-it is a tribute to the shared strength and spirit of all women. To every woman-past, present, and future-this is for you. To those who fought for our rights, to those who continue to rise, and to those who will shape the future. Together, we are unstoppable.