Horse chestnuts in blooms at the National Arboretum Canberra

From my Boundless Harmony of the Arboretum series, this large square painting captures a spring moment in Canberra when the air feels newly washed and full of promise.

I framed the landscape through the glossy leaves and candle-like white blooms of a horse chestnut tree, letting the blossoms sit close to the viewer while the paddock opens out into distance. In the mid-ground, kangaroos graze quietly beneath a wide blue sky, and Black Mountain with the Telstra Tower rises on the horizon—small details that anchor the scene unmistakably in Canberra.

This work is about that feeling of seasonal shift: the return of light, the freshness of green, and the calm you get on long walks when you suddenly notice what’s flowering above you. I wanted it to feel both intimate (botanical, up-close) and expansive (open landscape and sky), like stepping into the moment rather than simply looking at it.
A one-of-a-kind acrylic on canvas, ready to hang. 117 cm x 117 cm (square format).

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Hi, I’m Valentyna Crane — a contemporary impressionist landscape painter based in Canberra. I paint the feeling of a place: changing light, shifting atmosphere, and that sense of moving air that makes a landscape come alive.

My art journey began in Crimea, Ukraine, where I trained at the Samokish College of Fine Arts, and later completed a Master’s degree in Architecture and Landscape Design at V.I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University. Even earlier, my foundation was shaped by formal training at the Fine Arts School for children in Simferopol, where I studied drawing, composition, sculpture, decorative arts, and traditional painting techniques.

That classical background still supports my work today — strong structure and confident draftsmanship — but I paint with freedom: vibrant colour, luminous light, and expressive brushstrokes. My influences stretch from the Russian masters (like Repin) to the colour and light of Cézanne and Monet.

Now in Australia, I’m endlessly inspired by Canberra’s crisp air, open skies, and bush textures. I love creating paintings that feel uplifting and alive — pieces you’ll keep noticing and enjoying as you live with them.

My purpose is simple: to bring more light and beauty into the world, and to share that feeling with the people who connect with my work. If you have any questions, or you’d like to discuss a commission, I’d love to hear from you.