Olena Khilko makes decorative paintings called rozpys made in Mykolaivka.

This form of art can be typically seen on wooden chests and other household items made of wood. Mykolaivka itself is a small village close to Samar, which could be called the central point of this tradition, although the goods themselves travelled much further thanks to the Chumak trade routes.

Most of the wooden chests that survived into modern times did so only because they are still privately owned, otherwise the tradition had its periods of complete decline. Almost forgotten during soviet times, this art form slowly regains it’s well-deserved spotlight.

Features that appear in this rozpys are both garden and wild flowers, such as asters, cornflowers, dahlias, daisies, hollyhocks and roses. We can also notice other elements such as grapes and berries. Artists often depicted bouquets which meant to reference the ever-blooming tree of life.

Olena Khilko has been fascinated with Mykolaivka rozpys since 2018. She belongs to many groups and associations, such as “Квітка Присамарря” (eng. Flower of Prisamarya) and “Мистецька скарбничка” (eng. Creative Treasury) in Kaniv. She also belongs to the National Union of Artists of Ukraine.

Contact www: Flower Barvy ig Олена Хілько fb Phone: +380 982995241