Ilana grew up in the Belgian Congo and Brazil. This exposed her to a rich tapestry of languages, cultures, traditions, and landscapes. Her diverse background and experiences have greatly influenced her artistic journey.  Her long association with textiles started in 1970 when she learned the art of batik. In 1972 she migrated to Australia where she took a BA and Dip Ed in Modern Languages at Monash University. She continued to practice her batik and textile art alongside working as a teacher and translator. Ilana’s art is intuitive, vibrant, colourful and offers a reflection of the artist’s heritage and surroundings.

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Ilana's first solo exhibition at the Cooroy Butter Factory in May 2024 was an amazing success. 

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Now that she is retired, she is exploring various facets of textile printing, especially botanical printing techniques. Ever a maker, she has made beautiful quilts with the fruits of her efforts as well as one-off items of clothing.