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Norwalk, one of dozens of small cities that line the periphery of the city of Los Angeles, has given rise to several famous figures in American culture. Athletes, wives of presidents, and others have come from this community, including what some call “the petite Picasso.” Alexandra Nechita, a Russian-American artist, first gained fame when her family moved to Norwalk in the late 1980s.

Nechita, born in Russia to refugee parents who came to the United States when she was an infant, got her start with pen and ink drawing at age two. Watercolors were her next medium of choice by five, and by seven, she had started working with oil and acrylics. A prodigy in the truest sense of the word, Nechita had her first solo exhibition at age eight, at the public library in Whittier, Los Angeles County. At this same time, she was enrolled in high school classes at a private high school in Orange County. By age ten, Nechita was well on her way to fame, and was taken to Paris to work at the Mourlot Studios, becoming the youngest artist to sign with International Art Publishers.

Nechita’s talents were first recognized by her teachers at Moffit Elementary School in Norwalk. They encouraged her to develop her abilities, and early on, she displayed an affinity for cubist art, most famously pioneered by Pablo Picasso in the twentieth century.

Cubism is a multi-dimensional approach to art. Typified by shapes, abstraction, and bright colors, cubism is a highly interpretive style of painting. Realism and impressionistic techniques are not especially present for the subjects in cubist art. Instead, the artist attempts to expose all facets of reality in a single painting. In a way, cubism illustrates every element of a given subject, beyond the standard three-dimensional approach to illustrating reality using realism or impressionism. Nechita’s cubism continues to advance in her work today, but her earliest pieces from childhood are resonant of some of Picasso’s most famous paintings during his high periods.

In her early thirties now, Nechita continues producing art for public and private ventures. Celebrities are particularly drawn to her pieces, including Ellen DeGeneres, Whoopi Goldberg, and Calvin Klein. She has been interviewed by Oprah and has gained national attention, but a crucial element to her success as an adult was a stable childhood that was supportive of her artistic ventures.

Nechita found a home and encouraging community in the city of Norwalk during a time when she needed it the most for her future endeavors. Tutors, like the patient elementary school teachers that worked with Nechita, try to inspire creativity and enthusiasm in their clients. In Norwalk, students can expect to find a positive experience in tutoring, just as Nechita’s experiences in childhood were positive indicators for a lifetime of ensuing success.