Nina Khmeleva

ABOUT ME

Nina Khmeleva

+1(667)899-2070
ninakhmelyova@gmail.com
Instagram

I am an illustrator.
Born in Russia with mixed Russian-Ukrainian roots, I moved to Uzbekistan with my family in 2022 because of the war, then came to the United States to pursue my artistic career.
My work combines flat graphic forms, surrealist storytelling, and dark humor to explore the uneasy boundary between humans and animals, as well as themes of distortion, play, and irrational logic.
I work primarily with acrylic paint, collage, and digital media.

Education

Maryland Institute College of Art
Baltimore, MD
BFA Candidate in Illustration
Expected graduation 2027
GPA 3.99, Dean’s List

Employment

Intern, Maryland Art Place (MAP)
January 2026 – May 2026

Teaching Assistant (UTA),
Creative Writing course, MICA
Instructor – Paul Long
January 2026 – May 2026

Orientation Leader, MICA (CSE)
August 2024

llustrator & Writer, Manka Magazine
September 2020 – December 2021

Contributor, AST Publishing House
June 2020

Illustration Instructor, Lil School
December 2017 – May 2023

Skills

Interpersonal: communication, collaboration, analytical thinking, giving and receiving feedback, time management

Art: character design, sequential art, 3D, editorial and cover design, product design mockups, collage, academic drawing

Software: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro; Procreate; Rhino 3D; MS Office

Social media: content creation and management (YouTube videos, social media posts, online courses)

Languages: English (C1), Russian (native speaker)

Awards

Illustration West 64, Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles – selected for virtual exhibition
2026

FUMETTO Comics Festival, 34th international competition – exhibition participant
2026

Colorful Expressions, CEV art gallery annual competition – 2nd place
2026

“Graphically Speaking: The Art of Comic Storytelling” Atlantic Gallery juried show - contest winner, exhibition participant
2026

“Learning Financial Literacy from the Mistakes and Successes of Literary Heroes” (5th Anniversary Student Competition) – 3rd place, Illustration category
2020

MIKS, 4th International Cartoon Competition “Black Sails” (Sisak, Croatia) – 1st place
2018

BMW Berlin Marathon International Children’s Drawing Competition – 3rd place, “Winners from abroad” category
2018

International Tourism Cartoon Competition (Turkey) – 2nd place
2017

The Graceful Envelope Contest (USA) – 1st place
2017

Science Without Borders® Challenge, Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation – finalist
2017

FUMETTO Comics Festival, 25th international competition – 1st place
2016

Toyota Dream Car Art Contest (Russia), – 1st place
2016

SALON STRIPA Comic Competition (Belgrade, Serbia) – Special Jury Award
2016

Olense Kartoenale Cartoon Competition (Belgium) – 4th place
2016

BOOMFEST International Comic Competition (Russia) – shortlist
2016

British Council, Best Illustration of Shakespeare Competition – shortlist
2016

Doodle 4 Google Competition – Top 300
2015

etc.

Exhibitions

BUGS! online exhibition, Joyfully Green gallery, Good Old Times / link
September – October 2026

Art Seen exhibition, Times Square, NY, Pelican / link
August 2026

Brave Wave online exhibition, Clover Gallery, Normal People / link
July 2026

Colorful Expressions online exhibition, CEV art gallery, Pelican / link
June – July 2026

OUT OF ORDER, Maryland Art Place (MAP) annual Spring
benefit exhibition and silent auction, Tinder Terror
Baltimore, MD
April 2026

etc.

Publications

Times Square, New York, NY
Art Seen exhibition / link
August 2026

CEV art gallery
Beasts, Humans, Gods solo exhibition and interview / link
July 2026

Visual Art Journal
Personal interview / link
July 2026

Kvantik
Escape comic / PDF
May 2017

RU Swiss
Temptation comic / PDF
April 2016

etc.

Feel free to contact me for work opportunities!

Last Updated 24.10.31

SELECTED WORK

1. Normal People

Acrylic on wood, 18 x 24 inches
April 2026

A political painting about modern Russia.
Each character represents a major layer of Russian society: the Grandma symbolizes the older generation and the main voting mass, the Bandit represents the corrupt government, and the College Student reflects the younger generation with no possibility of escape.
Modern Russia is trapped in a limbo of cruelty, fear, and learned helplessness.

2. Alien Corpses Discovered in UFO Wreckage

Collage zine, each page is 5.5 x 4 inches
September 2024

An absurdist little obituary about the victims of a UFO crash. Rest in peace!

3. Office Dragon

Digital drawing, 1920 x 1080 px
December 2025

A character concept of a dragon forced to blend into human society and work a 9-to-5 office job.

4. Amazing Kitten Food

Digital collage, 5 x 5 inches and 3 x 8 inches
November 2025

A humorous advertisement mockup for a fictional brand of kitten food.

5. Beasts, Humans, Gods

Digital drawing, 8.5 x 11 inches
May 2026

A sticker book cover and a sample sticker page inspired by Perm Animal Style, a tradition of bronze artifacts created between the 2nd century B.C.E. and the 12th century C.E. across the Ural Mountains.

6. The Fly

Mixed media, 20 x 20 inches
December 2024

A board game designed to help children strengthen their logical and mathematical skills. The gameplay focuses on memory and strategic step-counting.

7. Tinder Terror

Acrylic painting on laser-cut templates,
each one is 5 x 6 x 4 inches
March 2026

A short humorous series about the dangers of meeting new people on Tinder.
Who is really behind the screen?

8. Security Guard

Clay sculpture, 10 x 10 x 10 inches
December 2024

A character concept for a minor enemy from a forgotten RPG. The Security Guard is gullible, easily distracted, and does not even know what is inside the room he is guarding.

9. Priest and Son

Digital drawing, 6.5 x 3 inches
September 2025

A character design concept for an evil alcoholic priest and his son. They fight against fairies in the woods in an attempt to stop the locals from worshipping “pagan spirits.” Unsuccessfully.