Yana Farmer founded Monroe Street Studio based on a vision that developed over many years as a professional artist and trained art teacher.  She earned her degree at the Vitebsk Arts College, originally founded in 1905 by noted artist Marc Chagall who was a distinguished European modernist and member of the modernist avant-garde community in France and Russia. Chagall was associated with several major artistic styles and created works in virtually every artistic medium, including painting, book illustrations, stained glass, stage sets, ceramic, tapestries and fine art prints.

Yana’s broad interests across artistic mediums were first developed under the enduring influence of Chagall’s artistic approach. Yana began her career teaching art to students of all ages in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. She came to America in 2004 and for several years taught art while developing her own vision for combining the remarkable freedom and flexibility she found in America with her traditional European educational style. Her professional vision is to help children and adults of all ages achieve their highest potential through the appreciation of art. Monroe Street Studio represents the realization of that vision.