Valentina Monakhova (Vasilyeva) was born on August 23, 1932 in Leningrad. In 1958, Valentina Monakhova graduated from the Repin Institute of Fine Arts, Boris Ioganson's workshop. I studied with Leonid Khudyakov, Vasily Sokolov, Valery Pimenov, Alexander Zaitsev. Participated in exhibitions since 1959. Member of  the Leningrad Union of Artists   since 1961. She paints landscapes, portraits, still-lifes, genre compositions. Works in the technique of watercolor, oil and tempera painting. She taught at the republican art school in Dushanbe (1958-1960), in the Leningrad Art and Industrial Technical School (1961-1978) and the School of Music (1978-2007). Personal exhibition in Leningrad (1985). Valentina Monakhova works are in museums and private collections in Russia, the United States, Tajikistan, Britain, France and other countries.