"A flower is the height of nature's beauty and a symbol of the beauty of the native land".

    Oksana Dovban (June 2023): 

“Many thanks from all Ukrainians to the people of the United States of America for supporting Ukraine in its battle for its land, freedom and independence. 

Americans, friends, appreciate life, its beauty, every moment. Take care of your family and cultural traditions, remember your roots.” 

    When we talk about the art of Ukraine, I really want to mention decorative and patterned folk painting. The Ukrainian land generously endows hardworking people with crops and flowers, giving shelter to numerous species of birds and animals. Ukrainians have long embodied them in embroidery, painting, decorative household items with floral ornaments, painted tables and plates, and even more. They even have a tradition of painted houses (both inside and outside) with patterns, after whitewashing them clean before the holidays. To this day, in many villages there are spring competitions to see whose house is better painted! The natural diversity probably contributed to the fact that there are many regional types of such folk painting in Ukraine. One of the most famous is Petrykivka painting. Why Petrykivka? Because the village where this painting originated is called Petrykivka, and it is located in today's Dnipro region. In 2013, this painting was inscribed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

    Flowers are the main element of Petrykivka ornaments. Images of birds are common, while images of animals and people less so. And, as in every folk art, here is symbolism in Petrykivka painting.

    Here are some examples: a flower is the height of nature's beauty and a symbol of the beauty of the native land; viburnum and mallow are symbols of maiden beauty; oak is a symbol of the sun; cuckoo is a symbol of the mystery of the eternal movement of time; rooster is a symbol of awakening and rebirth. Petrykivka masters paint with brushes made of cat hair and often with their fingers. The selection of colors in traditional Petrykivka painting is quite limited. 

    Most often, the masters work with red, which signifies the fire of life, strength of spirit, and home; blue, which symbolizes peace, strength, and wisdom; and yellow, which represents life, wealth and the harvest, and other colors with their symbols. It is important to note that masters of Petrykivka painting never mix one color with another.  

    We were happy to meet Oksana Dovban, a wonderful master of Petrykivka painting in 2022. Here is what she writes about herself: “Oksana Dovban was born in 1975 in Ukraine, in the city of Dniprodzerzhinsk (now Kamianske), Dnipro region. Since childhood, she was delighted with drawing, and graduated with honors from State Children's Art School. In 1992, when contemplating her future, she trusted her heart and chose the profession of an artist, and entered the School of Art in Petrykivka, from which she graduated with honors in 1994, and a major in wood painting.

    My first attempts to master Petrykivka painting began at school age. Unforgettable impressions from visiting the Petrykivka Museum of Painting, and the Petrykivka Druzhba factory gave me the impetus to choose this particular direction in art. Because Petrykivka village is so close to Kamianske town, I was exposed to Petrykivka examples in everyday life: dishes, spoons, boards, vases, panels and other decorative items painted with Petrykivka's style.     

    My works have found their places in private collections of connoisseurs of Petrykivka painting not only in different parts of Ukraine, but also in Germany, Israel, the USA.

    A tree can be transplanted into another garden only with its roots, it will take root there, it will bloom and bear fruits. It is the same with a person.” 

 At each of our exhibitions, Oksana Dovban's works always cause special admiration. Petrykivka connoisseurs recognize their skill and sophistication!