About the Artist

Irina Melnikova, born and raised in Moscow, started to study icon painting in late 1980s, when the collapse of the Communist regime led to spiritual revival in many Russians. There was a growing demand for both new icons and restoring old ones, so Irina did both, and quickly came into prominence.

Her first major work was painting the entire iconostasis for the Church of the Protection of Our Most Holy Lady in Osinki, Nizhny Novgorod region. It was a large work of more than 30 individual icons, each 5-6 ft. in height, which took her five months. As a restorer, Irina worked with many ancient icons of 16th-17th centuries, often badly damaged, carefully reviving them in their full glory while respecting the original painters' styles and visions.

After 35 years of experience, Irina moved to Hungary where she continues her work in her Budapest studio. Although she has some apprenticeship, all the icons available in her Iconik Art Store have been created by herself and carry a "100% handpainted" certificate.

Back in Russia, parishioners used to say her hands are guided by the God Himself. Never being a church person, Irina nevertheless believes her faithful obedience to centuries-long tradition or Russian icon painting creates a special power in everything she does — the power that goes far beyond one person's abilities.