Featured Artist – Yana Stajno and Area 51 students

Yana has been painting and drawing intensively since 2001 and has had a studio at the Chocolate Factory since 2010. Her paintings and drawings have been exhibited all over London as part of group or solo exhibitions. She’s a member of the Crouch End Open Studio Artists and is doing further studies at the Prince’s Drawing School, Shoreditch.  She is currently working with Collage Arts on the Area 51 Paralympic Project. To read more about the Area 51 Paralympic Project, visit the Project Page

Feedback from Rosie at Area 51:

“The art project with Yana has been great fun from the start and I’m really excited that students from Area 51 have had the chance to get involved with this exciting venture.  Art is a favorite subject in college for a lot of people and everyone enjoys trying out new materials and using them in different ways, especially the students taking part in the weekly workshops.

Having the opportunity to learn from a local artist is proving to be a fantastic experience.  Working in a studio environment has provided Area 51 students with the chance to explore the theme of portraiture in great depth using materials and methods they haven’t accessed until now.  One student in particular is really enjoying creating her work on an easel, rather than a classroom table.  Whilst working on the easel last week she said, “I’m an artist!”

The project has been running for only a few weeks and already a great amount of incredible work has been produced.  The students involved in the project are developing in confidence as they try out new materials and methods and a distinctive style can be seen in each persons work.  Any one who has had the luck to see the work is very impressed with the standard and can’t wait to see what will happen next.”

To view Yana’s full profile, visit the Chocolate Factory Artists website