MEET OUR TEAM
SHWSHANNI - Client Relations
From a young age, growing up in Melbourne, I’ve always been surrounded by creativity. Coming from a creative family, I was encouraged to explore and express myself artistically. This early immersion in the world of art led me to pursue a degree in Fine Arts at Monash, where I refined my skills and deepened my appreciation for the creative process.
As an artist, muralist, and tattoo artist, I find myself constantly drawn to detail, symbolism, and motifs. My work often delves into the transient nature of life and the ephemeral beauty of humans and animals. Through my art, I escape into a colorful dreamscape, embedding many symbolic and subconscious ideas within my pieces. While these stem from my personal experiences, I intentionally keep them ambiguous, allowing others to find their own connections and meanings.
For me, art is not just about creating visual appeal but also about evoking emotions and thoughts in those who view it.
Joining the team at Mystik River Gallery has been a wonderful journey. It’s a privilege to be part of such a vibrant and supportive community, where we all share a common vision of bringing art, spirituality, and healing to the forefront.
I look forward to contributing to the gallery’s growth and connecting with fellow artists and art enthusiasts in Melbourne.
TARA JOY BAKER - Client Relations, Gallery Content Creator
Since I was a kid I’ve always felt connected to the power of art. There’s nothing quite like the playfulness of creativity and the wisdom of visual language.
Over time my connection to art has changed alongside my awareness of the world. I believe art is a bridge to a world beyond words.
This inspired me to complete a bachelor of Fine Art at RMIT. I refined my practice, moving my direction towards an admiration for sacred geometry and mandalas.
Today, I work for both Mystik River Gallery and The Melbourne Theosophical Society. I enjoy dedicating my time to learn more about spirituality, art and healing.
It’s been a privilege to learn in this nourishing work environment as I continue to expand my curiosity and skills. I feel proud to work alongside such a strong team of women who are all here to create the same vision together.
TEREZA BIEZAITE - TEAM LEADER
I come from quite an artistic family, where creativity was encouraged in me from an early age. My connection to art and Eastern philosophies like Hinduism, yoga, and Ayurveda has always been strong, with my mother playing a key role in introducing these to me, especially through her travels to India.
In my teenage years, I began exploring the spiritual teachings that resonate with what we do here at Mystik River. Currently, I balance my creative work with training as a therapist, focusing on human flourishing and healing, which is also deeply intwined with my approach to art and life. Creating, primarily in the form of painting, remains my biggest love and where I find most passion and purpose in life. Other places I find joy include deep connections, adventures, and just playful silliness.
Working at Mystik River as Team Leader has been incredibly fulfilling. This is a place where humans are welcomed to contribute with their whole selves, to use the skills that come most natural to them, and be valued for it. I look forward to seeing the gallery grow, fostering new connections with like-minded artists in Melbourne, and hosting vibrant exhibitions in the future.
With big gratitude and excitement for what’s to come. Tereza ~
ELENA NEKLIUDOVA - GALLERY CURATOR
My love for art started back in childhood… when I first fell in love with the vibrant colours of Gauguin and Matisse. That early interest led me to art school, followed by six years at university, where I immersed myself in art theory and history studies.
After graduating, I spent five years more in St. Petersburg working as a manager and curator at a gallery, handling local and international projects, participating in art fairs, and supporting charity auctions.
I am all about creating exhibitions that don’t just showcase art but tell a story and build that connection between the art and a viewer. For me, working at Mystik River Gallery is much more than a role—it’s an opportunity to contribute to society and the art sphere in meaningful ways.
LOLITA ROMANOFF - GALLERY DIRECTOR
My journey with art, goes all the way back to my childhood. Having moved to Paris at age of 9, I grew up surrounded by art from a young age. Our apartment walls were covered in paintings — abstractions, cubism, portraits and landscapes, even nude women sometimes… of course its Paris!
As a child, it reminded me a lot of a museum really. It’s where I heard names of the likes of Kandinsky and Malevich for the first time. Being an art dealer, my mom often took me along with her to explore auction houses such as Sotheby’s, the Parisian flea markets and of course the iconic galleries and museums.
In my later teenage years, I was blessed to travel and live in Asia. A new world then emerged.. from buddhist pagodas, hindu temples, thangkas and mandalas, I began to observe how art and spirituality are closely intertwined. Over time we would collect little treasures from each country we lived in.
Finally, after settling down in Melbourne, we decided to start our own gallery here with my father where we are able to share our treasured experience with the world.
It has been fascinating to see the journey of Mystik River and all the challenges we have been through, starting from our humble beginnings in Brighton to where we are today. Who would have thought to see a collection of Buddha statues, right in the heart of Melbourne CBD? But here we are… we made it.
I am incredibly grateful for everyone who has supported us along the way, from our incredible workshop hosts to our family and friends. Following our recent exhibition debut, Ladakh: Race Against Time, we would like to work more in this direction and collaborate with new emerging artists who share our values. We are looking forward to surprising Melbourne again with a new exhibition… hang in there for updates!
ROMAN ROMANOFF - FOUNDER
