My name is Viktoria. I create under the name Branchstone. My work sits between painting and nature. I create textured, abstract pieces using bark, branches, stones, and other natural materials. These elements are part of the process itself — they shape the work as much as my hands do. I grew up on the Donbas lands, surrounded by wide steppes, the smell of wild tarragon, and red rock terricones rising from the ground. That landscape taught me to notice texture, contrast, and silence early on. Those impressions stayed with me long before art became a conscious practice. Later, I lived in Texas, where I encountered a completely different set of textures — sun-bleached wood, dry grasses, cracked soil. I was constantly collecting, observing, learning how each place speaks through material. Now, living in Northern California, I continue this dialogue with redwoods, coastal bark, and mosses, allowing each environment to quietly inform the work. My process is slow and intuitive. I work through layering, patience, and attention, letting each piece develop in its own rhythm. No two works are the same. Each carries its own balance of fragility, weight, and history. I believe art can grow alongside nature with care and respect. Every material I use has already lived a full life. Through my work, I extend that life into a new form — one that invites stillness, reflection, and grounding into everyday spaces. Branchstone is about staying rooted while evolving. About resilience that doesn't harden. About making room for quiet stories to surface.