Born in Vancouver, Raina is the daughter of Bohdan, who was an art critic and artist, and Ariadna, who was an art teacher and sculptor. She had a joint art exhibition with her mother in 1996 which included her father's works as a memorial to him and was entitled "Family Trees". Her parents had a strong influence on Raina in her development as an artist. Both of Raina's children are involved in the arts, her son being a graphic artist and her daughter studying architecture.

Raina has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto where she studied Fine Art and majored in Anthropology. She then went on to receive an Associate degree in Fine Art from the Ontario College of Art and Design. Her understanding of the history of mankind and of human psychology has rendered a very interesting creative process, which can be observed in her work.

Raina began to feel the need to express herself through art at a very early age and was especially fascinated in the way colours could be used to express feelings and impressions. She saw, in the brightly-coloured icons and tapestries of her Ukrainian heritage, a means of expression that continues to have an impact on her art today. As well, her growing interest in the Scandinavian culture has brought out some exciting new elements in her art. Along the way, she has won art awards, including a stay at an art residence in Iceland during the summer of 2002. Unfortunately, it was during that stay that her mother suddenly passed away. However, she continues to be an influence in Raina's life with the example that she led in her perseverance in life and never giving up on her dreams.

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