Member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine Olha Didkivska, a masterpiece of which has more than 25 personal exhibitions, exhibits works all over the world. The result of her creative work is not only bright canvases, unique dolls, amulets, author’s clothes and accessories. Zhytomyr tries to decorate her work: the high-rise courtyards of apartment buildings are transformed by her imagination and hard work
“In the classroom drawing lesson in the first class, the teacher asked me whom I want to be. Even then, I clearly understood that I would like to become an artist. As a child, I pulled everything into the house, from which it was possible to create something, all the time, I glue something, molded. He dreamed of becoming a fashion designer, and therefore went to study. At first, in the college, and then in the institute (ed., Now it is the Kyiv State Institute of Decorative Arts and Design named after Mykhailo Boichuk) ”
“In my childhood I visited a huge number of circles that were near my house. There I learned how to create toys, flowers, compositions. I did not go to the art school, because she had to go far (Laughs). Instead, I learned to paint myself, I liked to make copies of the works of world-renowned artists. Only before entering the artistic higher school passed the relevant courses (for six months I was engaged with the artist). Students’ years – most vividly, that can remember not every person. This is the sweetest time”(Smiling)
“I make orders very rarely: I release the things that I want to create myself. When I set myself a concrete creative task – for example, to create a doll collection in national costumes of different peoples of the world – then dive into the world of books, on the Internet, I review millions of photos, and during such searches my interpretation of one or another folk costume is born”
“My dolls find their masters during exhibitions, on the Internet. Each doll “is born” in different ways: they, like people: capricious and ambiguous. Some – in torments, and others – simply and easily. I begin to work on the work only in good mood and with a sense of warmth in my heart, because I want to give the doll a joy and light to people, multiplying love and welfare in the family”
“For three consecutive years, I participate in the All-Ukrainian ethno-cultural project” Folk Ukraine “. To participate in the festival, we are undergoing a serious competitive selection. In 2016, 374 participants took part in a unique art project, and among them I was the only resident of Zhytomyr. My first work, created at the Pysanka Festival, was called “Happy Ukraine” and became one of the hundred best works. The organizers of the festival are aimed at popularizing Ukrainian art: they produce catalogs, in which artists present their works, organize exhibitions of Easter eggs in various cities of Ukraine and abroad. They created a group of artists on Facebook to attract sponsors and customers”
“In 2017, on the project” Folk Ukraine “I painted on Pysanka one of the most important Ukrainian shrines – Saint Sophia Cathedral. With this pysanka I was confused: when I was already gathered to take her to Kyiv, I discovered for myself that it would be difficult to do it … I called one taxi for another – the pysanka in one of them did not wet. At the bus station, which I eventually managed to reach, I was waiting for another “discovery”: I could not fit my work and the long-distance bus. The taxi driver had to take me to Peremohy Square, where after a long wanderings I managed to find a “suitable size” bus. Interestingly, the size of the egg was increasing every year: this year it was so large that it did not get into the elevator, and I had to make efforts to lift it to the door of the apartment. This Easter egg was decorated with ornament characteristic of Zhytomyr region. For this purpose, I even attended master classes on Easter eggs at the Ivan Honchar Museum. I sent her from Kyiv to New Mail (Laughs) ”
“I like everything that is related to art. Sometimes I can spend all my free time drawing. And then all around – in my paints. And recently I remembered that I have no tapestries (from the editors – author’s technique, with the help of which Olha Didkivska creates an original canvas of fabric, net, threads, with applique and embroidery elements). Inspired by autumn, I now cut out leaves – all the flat in pieces ”
“Sometimes I draw to the third at night and force myself to go to bed, sometimes I wake up at the fifth or sixth morning and start to paint something or cook some sort of tabloid. Just now, for the first time, I present my note pads that are “born” where I sit: for example, in queues (edited by Olha Didkivska demonstrates a notebook with beautifully dressed dolls that resembles children’s coloring). Recently returned from Lviv. It was a great pleasure to contemplate Pidhirskyi and Oleskyi castles. I feel that now on the dolls of my dolls will be locks ”
“At one time, the world saw three collections of my author’s clothing and accessories. The first collection – “Tripoli Men’s Clothing”, the second – “Cossack Princess”, the third – a collection of women’s clothing made of tapestry, which was called “Cosmic”
“Sometimes in Zhytomyr I organize free master classes where children and adults make various toys, amulets and dolls. It gives me pleasure to give joy of creative inspiration to other people ”
“I like the cities and countries that create conditions for the development of art and a competitive environment for artists”
“In the spring, I supported the initiative of friends from a neighboring house and, together with them, took up the accomplishment of the adjoining area:” he “cultivated” the trees, planted lawns. On Facebook, I tried to activate everyone who could help us. At my request from different parts of the country, we sent seedlings of flowers, bushes, trees. Many artists who participated in the project “Folk Ukraine” have sent us plants that are now decorating this courtyard, “The Workshop of the City” this year helped us too – it provided seedlings decorated with flower beds. And now our experience has become interested in others. I have developed a project for the improvement of the adjoining area, called “Space City”. Together with the initiative inhabitants of the house in the near future we plan to create a very cozy yard, comfortable for spending free time for children and adults ”
“It is very annoying because there are vandals in Zhytomyr and just unconscious citizens who are insensitive to beauty. Every morning someone tightens a tire next to our house next to our house – every time we release her from this captivity. Often, I have to watch how the boys trample just sown lawns in their attempts to rip fruit out of trees”
“Zhytomyr – the city in which I was born, for me, it will always be the most important on the planet city. I love to walk in the streets where old buildings still remain, and to imagine how people lived here before: what did they dream about what they wanted to do for the city in which they lived?”
Translated by Aliona Matushevich
