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.