There is a “Handcraft yard” in Zhytomyr at 42, Bohdana Khmelnytskoho Str – the one and only museum of early enginery in Ukraine.
The founder of the yard, Fedir Yevtushenko, has accidentally come across the bronze candlestick from which everything has started.
“WHAT KIND OF INTERVIEW? I’M NOT A NATIONAL ARTIST”
“What kind of interview? I’m not a national artist. My small motherland is a village Veresy nearby Zhytomyr, my parents are simple workers with secondary education. I have always liked my village’s history.”
“While studying in Academy, I was keen on clocks. I’ve been working on my collection for 6 years, and when the number of clocks has reached 60, I sold everything out for setting up my own business. It was in 90’s.”
THE HOBBIE TURNED INTO BUSINESS. IS IT ONE THIRD OF LIFE? NO WAY!
“Having come across a Sheftel glass-cutter, the idea to frame the tool has appeared. Over 33 years the hobby has turned into business. Is it one third of life? No way! Writing my date of birth in Facebook, it’s 1917, everyone makes fun of it.”
“Three most important things for me are sons, I have two, and two granddaughters. Secondly, it’s my lifetime project. In addition, I’m not sure whether it’s significant or not, but I’ve built two chapels so far.”
“One of my grandmothers had a great commercial tendon. She was a paternal quack and very respectful person. We heard a lot of stories about the church built in 1876 on which the bell tower was settled and then destroyed by Bolshevists.”
I WAS HELPED BY FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES, EVERYTHING WE DID BY OUR OWN EFFORTS
“On Holy Protection Day it’s also the Village Day. One year the foundation was laid and the other year the chapel was blessed. I was helped by friends and acquaintances, everything we did by our own efforts in commemoration of grandmother Oleksandra. Despite having 3 forms of education, she was a wise and interesting woman.”
ONE NEEDS MONEY FOR DREAMS TO COME TRUE
“One needs money for dreams to come true, for travelling and working for charitable causes.”
“The foreigners are always kept in mind, the way they react to the private museum. It’s a strange thing for them. Hoping to see Africa, they observe the private museum. I enjoy watching how people change after visiting our museum.”
“One of my friends has come with his son-in-law who is French, living in Paris. I collect a certain something then to present to my guests. I’ve given him a horseshoe. He gladly took it to Paris.”
FOR BEING HAPPY PEOPLE MUST APPRECIATE WHAT THEY HAVE
“For being happy people must appreciate what they have, feel no envy and not to be pitiful.”
“We have the brightest , the cherry on the cake – Shoduar’s park where there are churches on Podol, outrageous streets and Zamkova Hora behind the Cathedral of the Elevation of the Holy Cross. There is also a street falling, smeared and untouched houses. One might build cozy cafés or restaurants. I haven’t thought of it.”
Maybe it’s a new idea? But this is another matter.
Photo: Oleksii Lubiahin
Noted: Iryna Marenkova
