Where the Field Meets the Forest, 2025

Ivanyuk Oleksiy  

Oleksiy Andriyovych Ivanyuk was born on March 13, 1954, in the city of Pyriatyn, Poltava Oblast, Ukraine. He is a painter and is married to O. Ivanyuk. He became a member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine (NSHU) in 2003.

He completed his education at the Crimean Art School in Simferopol in 1987, where he was taught by prominent instructors including V. Bernadsky, L. Greiser, and M. Morgun. From 1988 to 2008, he taught fine arts at the Pyriatyn School-Gymnasium of Aesthetic Education.

Oleksiy Ivanyuk has been actively engaged in artistic work and has participated in national and international art exhibitions since 1978. He has held solo exhibitions in various locations including Kyiv (2003, 2007-2009), Lubny (Poltava Oblast), California (USA; both in 2006), Poltava (2007, 2010), Pryluky (Chernihiv Oblast, 2008), and Warsaw (2009).

His primary genres of art are landscape and still life. His paintings are characterized by emotional sincerity and a warm, soulful quality that affirms the harmony of life. His creative work is deeply rooted in national traditions and the cultural heritage of Ukraine.

Some of his artworks are preserved in the National Art Museum (NHM), the Taras Shevchenko National Museum, the Museum of Cultural Heritage in Kyiv, and the Poltava Local Lore Museum.

Some of Oleksiy Ivanyuk's notable works include:

• "March" and "Wildflowers" (both 2002)
• "Twisted Gentlemen" and "Still Life with Narcissus" (both 2004)
• "Sunflower Field," "Apple Blossom," and "Evening Breath" (all 2005)
• "Silence" and "Summer" (both 2006)
• "Sunflowers" (2007)
• "Star Field," "Such a Life...," and "In the Garden" (all 2009)
• "Cold" (2010).

These artworks showcase his talent and artistic expression, often focusing on themes related to nature and the Ukrainian cultural heritage.

After graduating from the N. Samokish Crimean Art School, the elder generation of Ivanyuks, Oleksiy and Oksana, founded their own art school in Pyriatyn, a small town in Poltava Oblast, which they supported financially for over a decade. Growing up under the influence of classical art, the couple favored working from nature, depicting classical still life and monumental canvases, with the secret of their compositional and dramatic strength lying in the use of naturism as their core philosophical concept.

In Oleksiy Ivanyuk's Poltava landscapes, there is a greatness in simplicity, a view of ordinary suburban landscapes as wonders that are no longer accessible to the average resident of a metropolis. Fauvist colors and impasto techniques are applied by the master to enhance expressiveness, while thick brushstrokes emphasize the form and relief of the depicted objects. Familiar places, houses immersed in green gardens, boundless steppes, fields, forest glades, and streets become lyrical abstractions and reach the level of aesthetic reflection, reflecting the author's sensory perception of the world.

In Oksana Ivanyuk's vibrant floral still lifes, baroque polyphony is embodied, which is why seemingly secondary elements become the main elements of the composition. Her lush bouquets are universal floral images of binary culture, with a variety of meanings that correspond to the main higher needs of existence. For Oksana Ivanyuk, reproducing flowers is always a display of personal experiences, a demonstration of her own attitude towards life situations, and the image itself becomes a symbol of beauty and harmony.

Both artists, Oleksiy and Oksana, have a unique approach to their craft, infusing their works with emotions, insights, and reflections on the world around them. Their dedication to preserving and promoting art is evident through their art school, where they pass on their knowledge and passion to the next generation of aspiring artists. Their creative endeavors continue to leave a lasting impact on the art world, inspiring viewers and fellow artists alike with their powerful and evocative works.