Today, Tatiana Zemskova is a New Yorker inside out – an emerging art dealer, the owner of a jewelry business, and simply a woman of class living a vibrant urban lifestyle. What stands behind this poster-perfect image?

It is Tatiana’s hard work, persistence, and entrepreneurial talent that gave rise to her flourishing career. 

Tatiana was born and raised in a family that was literally reaching for the stars. Her mother comes from Korolyev – a city in the Moscow region famous for being the cradle of Soviet space exploration. When Tatiana’s father, a military interpreter and later a big-scale businessman in the seafood trading industry, married her mother – a successful finance professional at the time, it was as if the stars aligned. A true power couple, Tatiana’s parents encouraged her to pursue a career in economics and finances – and she did. Yet, Tatiana’s childhood passion for all things artistic stayed with her throughout her life. Little did she know her future vocation would be an exciting mix of art and sales. 

The New York Chapter and the Bling-Bling World

Upon 9 years of education in finances, Tatiana realized she wanted to shake things up – in every way possible. In 2013, she permanently moved to New York and took her impressive educational baggage with her to start a new life chapter. 

Adaptive and enthusiastic about putting her knowledge to practice, Tatiana quickly found herself in the luxury jewelry market. 

“It’s a very vibrant segment – you get to leverage business networking, communicate with amazing clients, and apply your skills to the max. That’s when I really fell in love with sales and realized I could really grow in this industry.” – recalls Tatiana. 

Over the 7 years in the jewelry business, Tatiana accumulated an impressive sales and business communication experience that inspired her to seek independence as a business owner. Her ambition went beyond providing the same thing for the clients that other brands did in the jewelry segment. The focus of her enterprise is on exceptional value, genuine business creativity, and an individual approach to every client.

When Tatiana started her first independent jewelry business, she fully tapped into her professional communication skills, managerial approach, and salesmanship, which allowed her to build an A-list client database over time. And that’s when her career took a somewhat unexpected turn toward her long-lived passion she never gave up on. 

From Jewelry to Art Dealership 

As Tatiana progressed through her entrepreneurial growth, she continued to foster meaningful relationships with her clients and became close friends with some of them. “I believe that’s when my focus started to shift – all of my clients are very creative people, and that’s something I could always relate to. Eventually, my A-list clientele expanded to the point where the clients themselves asked me to collaborate with them in the art sphere.”

Tatiana made her first art sale in 2019. It was a piece from an Instagram Art series by Richard Prince – a renowned New-York based artist. “That deal was as much accidental as it was, in a way, destined,” recalls Tatiana. “I knew one of my returning clients was looking for contemporary art to buy, and when he told me what kind of work he chased, I thought of Richard Prince right away. Richard, too, is an amazing customer we had worked with for a while at that point. I just knew it was a perfect match. So we got in touch, and several days later, I close my first art deal.” 

That was a real game changer for Tatiana who realized her sales savvy and art expertise could pave the way for a new venture full of exciting challenges and unexpected business connections. Tatiana’s ability to leverage her wide business network blended perfectly with her deep, almost intuitive sense of appreciation and attention to her clients’ needs. 

“I hear many people say that no matter what you sell, it’s all about the same techniques and strategies. I tend to disagree – I believe that in the spheres I am working in, a deeper, more profound connection with a client is key. After all, when people buy art – and I consider jewelry an amazing form of art, just like a painting or a sculpture – they seek more than possessing a material thing. They crave an aesthetic and emotional experience that would last. And that’s what I’m striving to deliver to every client I work with.”

Now, Tatiana is expanding her proficiency and connections in the art dealership world to boost her expertise and find new ways to cater to her clients’ needs. 

Business and personal growth plans 

Tatiana’s newfound success in art sales has prompted her to pursue further education to gain up-to-date knowledge and skills that would assist her in clearing the new heights. She is now pursuing a Business in Arts MA at Sotheby’s Institute of Art. Tatiana is exploring new ways to approach art sales in the modern fast-paced world where trends and tastes are so versatile one needs to maintain a clear focus and constantly have one’s finger on the pulse. 

When asked about her immediate and long-term plans, Tatiana says that she would like to do an apprenticeship with a mover and shaker of the New York art world and become a top-tier art advisor. “I never stay still – if I enter a new sphere, I want to learn as much as I can and apply this knowledge in my business activity. When it comes to art dealership, I am definitely here to stay and I am determined to become a top specialist people can trust.”

The art dealership is still a male-dominated territory where it is challenging for a woman to break the glass ceiling and gain recognition. Surely, Tatiana’s hard work, passion, and excellent communication skills will allow her to achieve her goals and make her entrepreneurial efforts yield impressive results.