Masters

Serhiy is a tailor and a shoemaker from Kyiv. He reconstructs clothes and historical things of Kyiv Rus epoch and the middle ages. Besides, the master sews bags after medieval models and ornaments them by Trypillya symbols.

This Cherkassy master revives ancient knot-dolls. She makes them of high quality from natural materials and with perfect art taste. Larysa is convinced that the doll is a very energetic work. Each master when making it puts positive energy and thoughts into the creation.

Maria is a well-known pysankar from Lviv, from Ivano-Frankivsk by origin. She investigates pysankas from the entire region and reproduces them. Especially she likes Gutsul ones. Besides, she is interested in weaving on looms, straw weaving and motanka-dolls.

Lyubov is a master of folk doll from Kyiv region. She learned this craft not long ago and has created an extensive collection of dolls in several months: more than thirty smartly dressed textile beauties. And this is only the beginning!

A master-scientist from Poltava region among all investigates Ukrainian pottery and writes scientific articles about it, but in practice she creates works not from clay but from fabrics. When she gets tired from pottery theory, Olena starts making folk dolls and in the process of this work she finds peace of her mind and soul.

This Lviv master has started to study folk doll after she received one as present several years ago. Shortly after this she made a doll herself. By now Olena has a collection of motanka-dolls that she has created herself and she continues to experiment with them.

A tanner, a tailor, a carver, an artist-decorator, a farmer, a remarkable connoisseur of horse-breeding, Ukrainian history and, finally, he is an actor whom you’ve seen many times on TV and cinema screens. All this is said about a Poltava artist Vadym Obertas who was born to become a Cossack.

Valentyna is a Kyiv master of sacral motanka-dolls. She manufactures them following all the corresponding ancient rituals and ceremonies that is why her handiworks are not just decorative creations but sacral protecting talismans as well.

A Poltava master makes traditional women’s head-dresses - ochipoks and wreaths; she also weaves carpets with Ukrainian ornaments. The master creates her works in the traditions of the central Ukrainian Poltava region.

Painting of a Kyiv artist Anna Shevchuk can really be called folk painting. It is free from academic dogmas and directives because Alla learned to draw all by herself. At present she reflects everyday life of ancient Ukrainians using her paintbrush.

Using special tools and wood, Kyiv carver Volodymyr Inshakov makes household goods identical to those that were used by our ancestors, heroes of folk fairy tales and historical novels. They are wooden spoons, salt-cellars, knives, small barrels etc.

Sisters by birth, Natalka and Tetyana together create small wonders: ancient traditional oberegs of Ukrainian families – motanka-dolls. Tetyana combines colors and makes faces. Natalya invents magnificent ornaments and implements them in embroidery by counted satin-stitch.

Poltava wood carver Volodymyr Markaryan works in the volumetric carving technique that has rather old traditions. Using his instruments, the master represents pictures from everyday life of Ukrainians; from mythology and fairy tales.

This Kyiv master has been into the doll-making starting from the end of 2008. For this period she’s mastered the craft. At the fair held in Pyrohiv Kateryna Yushchenko, the first lady of Ukraine, liked Nelly’s handicrafts so much that she bought four of her dolls – either for her daughters or as presents...

A Vinnytsya master – a pipe maker - has already been manufacturing these folk instruments for 18 years with his own hand. His instruments are highly rated and are used by well-known musicians but Volodymyr is a musician himself. He became interested in piping back during his student years.

A young Kyiv master of motanka-dolls has mastered this craft by herself. For dolls she takes fabric woven on a loom; flax, rushnyks, beads, lace, table-cloths, bands and threads; for compositions she uses cereal ears, poppy seed, peas, buckwheat, millet...

Alla is a well-known Ukrainian master of decorative wood carving and motanka-dolls manufacture. She is from Poltava. Since 2009 Alla has been the head of Poltava regional branch of National Union of Folk Craft Masters...

Lyubov is a master of straw weaving from Dnipropetrovsk region. She has been working with straw for 12 years. The master likes to weave wreaths, Christmas spiders, didukhs, angels, head-dresses, hats, baskets, decorations and accessories for girls’ dresses...

A ceramist from Vinnytsya region revives Trypillya ceramics. He decorates his woks by mysterious ornaments of ancient Trypillya potters. The master confidently draws skew and wavy lines, circles, rhombs, spirals, curls on pots, plates, jugs, bowls and large amphoras...

Curious and restless master from Kyiv region tries her skills in different areas and styles of arts and crafts. Besides decorative embroidery she has mastered the technique of decorative painting, pysanka ornamenting, modeling from ceramic mass and dough. At present she takes great interest in decorative enamels...