Bio_006.txt

I’M LENA, A SEASONED DESIGNER ORIGINALLY FROM RUSSIA, MSC. MY FORMATIVE YEARS WERE FILLED WITH ARTHOUSE CINEMA, WALKS ALONG ABANDONED BUILDINGS AND ROOFTOPS, ONLINE DIARIES, POETRY, AND THE DRAMAS OF TEENAGE LIFE.






Born to a mother who worked as a dispatcher and a father who was an engineer, my family’s history has deeply influenced me. My father grew up in a very poor family in a small village, where my grandmother struggled to feed her four sons and education was a distant dream. Despite these challenges, my father walked from his village in Altai Krai to Barnaul to pursue an education, eventually becoming a chief engineer. His determination and perseverance have always been a significant source of inspiration for me and a foundational influence on my career.

I began working early, still in school, taking on various side jobs like delivering newspapers and posting ads to help support my family. After graduating from college, I started working in my specialty while continuing my studies at the university. It didn’t take long for me to realize that corporate culture and climbing the career ladder were not my passions. My true inspiration comes from the work I produce and the creative process itself. I seek an environment free from corporate politics where I can focus on creating, deciding, and interacting without compromising my own values.


With a design career that began in 2008, I now have over 12 years of experience in user interface and website design. My portfolio includes a wide range of interfaces, from apps for smart TVs and tablets to mobile applications and other digital screens. In addition to interface design, I have a passion for visual design. I frequently participate in design competitions and festivals.
In 2018, I was selected as a judge for the CSS Design Awards, being one of only five experts from Russia on a panel of 280 judges. In 2020, I was the sole nominee from Russia in the «Independent Designer» category at the international Awwwards festival. That same year, I also served as a judge for several design festivals, including Awwwards, ODA Awards, G8, The Young Ones and had been a visiting teacher at the British School of Design in Moscow. My work has been featured in Asia design books for five consecutive years, which is something I’m very proud of.

One of my nontrivial projects involved stylizing 60 portraits of the theater troupe at the Kulturhuset Theater in Stockholm, which were used for theatrical announcements and displayed in the theater lobby. Additionally, by a stroke of luck, I co-authored the album cover for Deep Purple's «Whoosh!» a project that received extensive media coverage worldwide.

I’m always on the lookout for projects that combine my expertise in both visual and interface design. I excel at creating user flows and generating innovative ways for users to achieve their goals. I adeptly guide users through my designs, balancing freedom of choice with strategic constraints, employing both logical tools and visual manipulations.

My professional journey continues as I delve deeper into self-discovery through my personal projects and artistic endeavors.



RECOGNITIONS


Hiiibrand Awards
Finalist
2023

ODA Awards
Winner and Gold
2023

AKAR
Creativity Rating (Digital)
2020, 2023

Awwwards
x5

CSS Awards
Showcase Featured
x2

CSS Lite
Site of the Day
x2

Behance
2014-2022
x40

Readymag
Project of the Year
2020

Mindsparkle Mag
Site of the Day
2020

APD Awards
Selected for Editorial Board of Almanac
2019 & 2021

G8
Long List
2019

CSS Winners
Site of the Day
2019

Investfunds Awards
Best Broker App
2019

FinNext
Winner
2016

Behance Russian Top 5
Branding
2015




PUBLICATIONS


Handheld Design
User Playlists
2024

Mindsparkle Mag
Swell
2024

UX Parrot
Featured designers
2023

Mindsparkle Mag
MadBand
2022

Abduzeebo
Vostok
2022

Interface Market
Camber
2022

Type.today
Personal website
2020

Tutdesign
The Chayka Shop
2016




BOOKS


Hot Right Now - A Contemporary Landscape for Digital Thinkers: Vol.4
Awwwards Book

Asia-Pacific Design Yearbook No.15,17-18
Sandu Publishing Co., Ltd. of Guangzhou

Interactive Design for Screen
Sandu Publishing Co., Ltd. of Guangzhou

Excellent Branding Identity 2
Hightone Publishing Ltd. of Guangzhou

Book Touching Branding 3
Artpower International Publish Co., Ltd. of Hong Kong




INTERVIEW


РД #37 · Референсы дизайна
Дизайн-коммьюнити
2023

Об экзистенциальной зрелости и опасности тотального упрoщения
Skvot
2020

Как преуспеть вне офиса
Skvot
2020

An Opportunity to Create Something Beautiful
Viola Chip
2020

Работа над продуктом - не самовыражение
Innova
2017

Познакомьтесь с самым красивым мылом на свете
Afisha Daily
2017




JURY


ODA Awards
2023

Awwwards Jury
2020-now

G8 Greateight Jury
2022, 2024

British Higher School
2021

G8 Executive Jury
2019

CSS Design Awards
2020-2021

Behance Russia Top Five
2016

Elena Saharova / eessoo.co
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