Lera has been a practicing artist since she was a child. She emigrated from Ukraine to Canada at he age of seven, and art was a way to express herself. Her interest in the relationship between objects and histories, and craft traditions, have led her to create artwork intimately tied to personal history. Her work explores the connection between memory and artistic creation, as well as the influence of place and memory. She creates work in all mediums, from photography, to painting, and sculptures in paper. She is also interested in the evolution of craft into art forms, most notably works with paper. Taking objects with personal meaning and making new artwork explores the relationship between personal and shared histories, as well as art-making. In her work she explores her history, both personal and cultural, influenced by feminism, and the city she lives in.