Julia Velyka
Artist
About Me
I am an artist from Ukraine, based in Dnipro.
According to my profession I am a specialist in export sales.
I made good carrier and visited about 30 countries with my professional activities.
But at that, all my life I have been drawing for myself, just to relax, to meditate, to restore my inner resources. Since 2019 I visited private art studio to improve my skills. Also I have been learning from various workshops and classes online.
In 2020 I felt like I am ready to share my creativity with a world. I represented some paintings in my social media and received such a good feedback that gave me strength to proceed.
For now, besides Ukraine, my artworks live in private collections throughout the world, particularly in USA, Canada, Estonia, Sweden, Germany, Australia etc.
Artist Statement
I would say in my art life currently I have a period of searching the best visual forms to express my own inner self in its interaction with the surrounding world.
Now my art is represented by two main directions:
- displaying the beauty of nature;
- my personal reflections to some events or thoughts.
To display the beauty in its best, I create floral art, mostly it is about flowers or fruits from my parents` garden. I admire all the perfect system of each petal in flowers as well as imperfection of a shape on some apple on a tree.
To process and investigate my own personal reflection, mostly I create images of women in some circumstances, or situations.
As to the materials, I work with oil and acrylic paints on stretched canvas or panels. Also I use pastels and acrylic pastes to make some effects and textures on canva.
You are welcome
to check my
portfolio
I Stay
Oil, acrylic on streched canvas
60 x 60 cm
2023
"I Stay" is an autobiographical painting. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, I tried to leave the country several times to take my children away from the terrible events. But it happened that every attempt ended up in the hospital for me. After the fourth time, I gave up trying, and decided to stay at home despite logic, common sense and fear for my children's lives.
Psychosomatics? Intuition? Fear of uncertainty?
I think it's definitely not about being nervous about the unknown, because I'm an experienced traveler, fluent in English and have no problems communicating with foreigners. I believe that the issue lies in something that is deeper, more important and beyond the usual material things. It is difficult for me to explain logically why this happened, so I expressed these experiences and reflections in my painting "I Stay".
On it, I portray myself as someone who, on some higher spiritual level, has grown with my home, my native land. Therefore, the colors of the background seem to permeate the entire figure, and the limbs, like roots, "grow" into the lower part of the canvas.
And the whole figure seems to say: "This is my place. I am at home. I stay…”
helping hands
40 x 50 cm
Oil, acrylic on hardboards
20223
Thinking about volunteers I decided to take one recognizable symbol and add something new to it. Helping hands are the first association to volunteers that I have.
As a reference, I chose my husbands` hand and my own one since we both support volunteering. To complete the idea with new senses I turned to ancient Ukrainian symbols.
Oak leaves in ancient Slavic symbolism meant strength. So obviously that one who helps and volunteering has strength. About strength I think in wide sense whether it is physical strength, or mental, or financial etc. From other side we can see bellflowers which means appreciation as natural response for help and support.
The background of the painting reflects some tragic circumstances such as war in Ukraine.
Lilies for Mom
Oil on streched canvas
90 x 60 cm
2021
Hydrangeas
40 x 40 cm
Acrylic, texture paste,
pallete knife
on streched canvas
2021
the moment she chose herself
40 x 40 cm
Oil on streched canvas
2023
With this work, I wanted to emphasize the importance for each girl, do not forget to choose yourself, your true desire (that is why she closed her eyes to look into her soul), and not imposed by society (that is why the girl does not seem to fit into the picture, she is like much more, than those frames put on us by the surroundings).
The choice of flowers and colors in the background is also not accidental. They symbolize spring - something new, bright and optimistic, which confirms her choice is correct.
The model for the painting was my beautiful friend Tetiana. And I chose her for a reason, because she also went through such experience.
peony of faith
60 x 60 cm
Oil on streched canvas
2022
peony of hope
60 x 60 cm
Oil on streched canvas
2022
These peonies paintings were created in summer 2022 during a war in Ukraine.
The creation process was one of the ways to stay stable mentally despite the situation around and bring more beauty to this world as a contrast to the evil which came to my country.
So, this art is fulfilled with the best hopes and the faith this war will end soon.
The names of the paintings are explained by that feelings.
The references to the paintings are taken from my parents` garden.
Series “Roses from Parents` Garden”
30 x 30 cm
Oil, canvas on panel
2023
To MY SISTER
60 x 120 cm
2021
These artworks are made with acrilic paints and usage of texture pastes to create volume of the flowers. The backgrounds of each painting is made by pearl acrylic paint which gives such shining base for the flowers.
The references to the paintings are taken from my parents` garden.
The model is my sibling Tetiana.
ROSES FOR ANNIVERSARY
40 x 60 cm
2021
LILIES
60 x 120 cm
2022
Ranunculus
30 x 30 cm
acrylic on canvas
2023
Georgina
40 x 40 cm
acrylic on canvas
2023
Peony
40 x 40 cm
acrylic on canvas
2023
Eustoma
40 x 40 cm
acrylic on canvas
2023
Pears
20 x 30 cm
Oil on panel
2022
Banana
20 x 30 cm
Oil on panel
2023
Lilies of the valley
20 x 20 cm
Oil on panel
2023
Strawberry & cocktail
20 x 20 cm
Oil on panel
2023
Events/Publications
November, 2023 - Illuminant from Meta-Senses Gallery, On-line Exhibition of Ukrainian contemporary artists.
12-22 August, 2023 - Flower Paradise, Lviv Art Palace (Ukraine)
Events/Publications
February, 2023 - Discourse of War, International Digital Exhibition from Artwork Gallery
November, 2022 - NFT Sale in Hollywood from EnoughTeaFoundation, supported by United24 and Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine
terroriststate
Where my art lives...
Let's Work Together
I am open to collaborations,
so feel free to contact me
in case you can offer something interesting