Igor Zaytsev was born in June of 1958 in the Ukraine. He grew up in a family of artists, and with love and encouragement of his parents Igor’s talent flourished early. At the age of 15 Igor was among of the very few chosen to enter the College of Art in Lugansk, Ukraine, which he attended from 1973 to 1977. After graduation Zaytsev was one of only nine students who were selected through a yearly competition of over 100 to gain entry to the prestigious National Academy of Art in Kiev, where he studied from 1977 to 1983, painting and sketching day and night.

Igor’s works were exhibited at national art shows while he was still at the Academy. The Ukrainian Ministry of Culture purchased number of Igor’s paintings for national museums. His works became a part of Ukrainian national treasure. Upon graduating from the Academy Igor served required time in the Soviet Army, and shortly after his discharge Perestroika began. Artists finally were able to enjoy a freedom they had never knew during the Soviet period. The freedom to work in any style and direction they chose. Igor also experimented in the direction of abstract and Surrealism, but keep loyalty to figurative realism and works of the masters of Renaissance, such as Leonardo De Vinci and Caravaggio.

Once the Iron Curtain was lifted Igor Zaytsev began participating in international shows worldwide. His paintings were exhibited at the international juried showcases in Moscow ,United Nations lobby in New York and Geneva. He also participated in a major group show in Lincoln Center. The show was an assemblage of selected Ukrainian contemporary artists. Igor also formed a one-day show for the American Embassy in Kiev, Ukraine, at his studio. The guests of honor were the now former U.S. Ambassador to the Ukraine and 70 employees of the embassy. “Almost all of my works were purchased that day leaving bare studio walls,” recalls the artist. During several years after almost all of the new paintings were purchased by dealers and private collectors from USA

Shortly after that show Zaytsev began a series of visits to the United States. He exhibited his works at galleries in New York and Washington DC. On September 10, 2001, 12 hours before the terrorists attacked New York, Washington DC and Pennsylvania, Igor landed in Detroit, Michigan with 3 paintings in hand, to start a new life in America. After 3.5 years of extensive painting and sketching Igor created the whole new collection of artworks. On November 2004 Igor had his first solo show in United States. His works were exhibited in the lower level of the Crooked Tree Art Center in Petoskey, Michigan. The enthusiasm of the community was a deciding factor for Igor’s decision to open his magnificent exhibit at his exlusive gallery in downtown of a city.

After two years, in 2007 Igor closed the gallery and moved to New York and is currently working on the new seria of works for exhibits.