Yulia Klimashevska graduated from the State University of Irkutsk, Russia, with a major in journalism. For twenty years, she worked for Russian newspapers, magazines, and radio as a journalist and chief editor. After moving to New York, she worked as a reporter and copywriter and also studied social work at the University of Albany, NY. It was during her time at the University of Albany that she formulated her artistic credo: "Despite some forms in my paintings, they are abstract, like a fairy tale or parable. For me, it's an exciting adventure, a journey with an unknown destination. When I paint, I see the world around me being made of magical yet natural phenomena. Characters and objects in my paintings dwell in what is. In spite of that, viewers can see images reflecting their own perception and create their own relationship with any of my works." By applying poetic and often metaphorical language and being a Buddhist, Yulia creates works through a labor-intensive process that can be seen as a form of meditation.