Favsta Shikhmanova, an artist and painter, was born into a noble family and received her education at the private women's gymnasium of Lyubov Tagantseva. Shikhmanova's artistic talent led her to pursue formal training at the Zvantseva School of Drawing and Painting in the 1910s, where she studied under the guidance of Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin. It is believed that her graduation painting, possibly titled "View of the Bypass Canal" (1922?), earned her the title of the artist as awarded by the Painting Faculty and the Board of the Academy of Arts on September 7, 1922.

Active in the art community, Shikhmanova served as the chairman of the society "Free Workshop" from 1916 to 1917 and was a member of the "left bloc" of the Union of Artists from 1917 to 1918. Her works were showcased in various exhibitions in Petrograd, including "Young Art" (1917), "World of Art" (1917, 1918), etc.

Though few of her paintings are known, they predominantly fall within the genres of landscape and portrait.  Favsta Shikhmanova's artistic journey and contributions to the art community highlight her dedication and talent as an artist and graphic artist.