I was born in 1956 in the Republic of Georgia (the part of the Soviet

Union),in the Caucases. Later on my family had moved to Belarus;

this is where I grew up and went to school.After graduating from high school,

I served in the Soviet Army for two years as was custom.

In 1977, after I had been discharged from the army, I moved to the

Baltic region,namely to the Republic of Latvia.

In 1983 I graduated from the  correspondence program of the State

University for the Arts in Moscow, with a major  in artistic design.

Prior to getting into carving I was engaged in painting and graphic

design for several years.

I carved my first figure - Dragon Kirin – in 1986.

My favorite carving materials are boxwood,fossil mammoth ivory,

deer(stag) antler, and Baltic amber.

I am a of the International Netsuke Society since May of 2006.

I would like to express my utmost gratitude to Janel Jacobson,
Natasha Popova,Anatol Ionis, Don McFarland and Joe Kurstin for their amazing help, kindness and encouragement.

Slava Chernoshey