When Anya immigrated to the United States at sixteen, she mostly wanted to belong somewhere. Starting over in a place where you are not yet fully known can feel incredibly vulnerable and frightening, and Mriya reflects the process of slowly opening up when someone meets you with compassion.
For Anya, the piece connects to “Open Doors, Open Hearts” because compassion often starts quietly: with someone who is already inside seeing you, making an effort to understand you, and helping you feel safe enough to enter.
About the Artist
Anya Keyes is a Portland-based artist whose journey from Soviet-era Ukraine to the United States at age sixteen has guided her artistic vision. After earning a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, Anya pursued a career in medicine before her passion for painting ultimately prevailed. In 2017, a move to the West Coast rekindled her creative aspirations, and she began a new life as an artist.
Over the years, her work blending Ukrainian folklore with modern American imagery has steadily gained recognition. Her artwork has been acquired by private collectors and included in the City of Portland’s public art collection.
When Anya immigrated to the United States at sixteen, she mostly wanted to belong somewhere. Starting over in a place where you are not yet fully known can feel incredibly vulnerable and frightening, and Mriya reflects the process of slowly opening up when someone meets you with compassion.
For Anya, the piece connects to “Open Doors, Open Hearts” because compassion often starts quietly: with someone who is already inside seeing you, making an effort to understand you, and helping you feel safe enough to enter.
About the Artist
Anya Keyes is a Portland-based artist whose journey from Soviet-era Ukraine to the United States at age sixteen has guided her artistic vision. After earning a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, Anya pursued a career in medicine before her passion for painting ultimately prevailed. In 2017, a move to the West Coast rekindled her creative aspirations, and she began a new life as an artist.
Over the years, her work blending Ukrainian folklore with modern American imagery has steadily gained recognition. Her artwork has been acquired by private collectors and included in the City of Portland’s public art collection.
