Vira Yakymchuk is a self-taught contemporary figurative painter from Ukraine. In this interview, Vira opens up about how her childhood surrounded by nature and her move from Ukraine to Istanbul shaped her work. She talks about how her paintings reflect both the harshness of reality and the beauty of dreams, inspired by our world and emotions. Vira also shares the challenges she faced in developing her style, from lack of resources to the impact of war in her homeland. She also opens up about her deep connection with nature, her love for detail, and her belief in art’s ability to bring peace, guide her creative process, and inspire her work.

Vira Yakymchuk is a featured artist in our book “The Creative Process.” You can explore her journey and the stories of other artists by purchasing the book here: https://shop.artstoheartsproject.com/products/the-creative-process-book

Vira Yakymchuk is a contemporary figurative painter from Ukraine who is celebrated for her self-taught artistry and original style inspired by the vibrant colors of nature. Born in Husiatyn, a small town in Western Ukraine’s Ternopil region, Vira spent her childhood in a village surrounded by animals and the beauty of the natural world. This upbringing has profoundly influenced her artistic vision. In her work, Vira delves into the dualism between chaos and the symmetry of perfection, capturing the complexity of human emotions amid today’s materialistic and individualistic society. She strives to highlight the disconnection people often feel in a world where tragedy has become commonplace and indifference to the suffering of others is pervasive. Through her art, she invites viewers to contemplate the balance of illusion and reality, emphasizing that love can cultivate beautiful dreams that grow within the soul and ultimately define the meaning of life.

The urgent need for social awareness and compassionate action compels Vira. Her paintings challenge viewers to confront societal issues while celebrating nature’s beauty, purity, and harmony. She believes nature is a powerful source of knowledge, awakening the soul to inner freedom and fostering a deeper connection with the world. By creating imagery that resonates with everyday life, Vira encourages an exploration of sensations, thoughts, and emotions that connect us to our surroundings. Her artwork offers a glimpse into a realm beyond distractions, inviting viewers to engage with their feelings and experience a sense of unity with nature. Through her creative journey, Vira Yakymchuk aims to inspire change and emotional growth, reminding us of the beauty and complexity of the human experience.

1. As a self-taught painter, what challenges did you face when developing your unique style based on nature’s colors? 

As a self-taught artist, I faced challenges like developing ideas and compositions; at first, I did not know where to start… I created my vision and technique for several years. However, the most challenging thing was the impossibility of purchasing art materials. When there is talent, there is no opportunity to study at an art academy or with private teachers, and it is impossible even to buy a brush. I didn’t give up on my faith and dreams of being an artist. But my desire to be an artist was the greatest in my life. I painted in a foreign country for two years, both days and nights. I painted a few small sketches and felt I needed more… I started practicing immediately on large canvases… not being afraid to make mistakes. At that time, one good artist said beautiful words that gave me even more faith and freedom to paint: “A real artist is not afraid to make mistakes.”

We are with love can make the most beautiful dreams, then the dreams can grow up with in soul, then to become the supreme factor which determines the meaning of a person’s life.

Vira Yakymchuk

2. How did your training in flower arrangement and traditional Ukrainian icon painting influence your creative approach? 

While studying flower arranging and landscape design, I developed a greater love for beauty and nature. The landscape or some plants are part of my art that I paint in all my paintings. Traditional Ukrainian icon painting influenced my work; it’s a look that follows the viewer, and the love for details was passed on to me. And it also taught me to be calm and patient at work.

3.  Meeting Fatih Gurbuz was a pivotal moment for you. Can you share how his influence transformed your art?  

Yeah, meeting Fatih Gurbuz was pivotal for me in my art life. Thanks to him, I discovered the world of figurative painting. He believed in me and gave me much advice about the modern art world. I think that it was his art that influenced me the most and changed my life 180 degrees. I was also a model for his paintings and studied with him in the studio. For me, his art is a modern, delicate masterpiece I have been inspired by for years.

4.  What inspired your move from Ukraine to Istanbul, and how did the environmental change impact your creative process?

It was a relationship that inspired me to move from Ukraine to Istanbul. Knowing English or Turkish language was challenging, but I was busy with art. The new atmosphere, beautiful people, culture, and religion influenced me and my art. I looked for beautiful things in architectural details and patterns that I used for paintings. I learned English, visited a museum, and made new acquaintances with creative people from different countries. Some of them were models for my paintings.

Dreams often include elements from our daily lives, experiences and emotions. They can reflect our thoughts, concerns and unresolved issues, providing insight into our subconscious.

Vira Yakymchuk

5. Your work reflects reality as a dream. What does that mean to you, and how do you achieve that in your paintings?

Since the war has been going on in my country for the third year already… for us Ukrainians, every day is like the last. Reality is cruel. Therefore, even in difficult times that I have faced, I follow my inner world. These dreams could also be our reality, where peace and tranquility between people and animals are surrounded by beautiful nature. Those are precisely some elements of the things I paint in the paintings that tell us about our present time. And yet, our reality is now like this: people are killed for freedom, houses are destroyed in whole villages and cities, and animals and nature are destroyed. I stayed in my country and continued to paint and speak through art about my faith and the love surrounding us. This is my internal struggle with the cruel reality. But our dreams are a reflection of our subconscious thoughts. There is a lot more to dreaming than meets the eye. At face value, dreams are another type of reality experience that we have. What I’ve observed is that there is a genuinely creative process that elicits dream content. This is how our thoughts are organized to create the rendered composition we experience as dream content. So, there is a relationship between dream content and physical reality. In my artwork, dreams can be seen as a reflection of reality in several ways: Psychological reflection: Dreams often include elements from our daily lives, experiences, and emotions. They can reflect our thoughts, concerns, and unresolved issues, providing insight into our subconscious. Emotional Processing: Dreams can help us process emotions. Creative Inspiration: Some dreams can lead to innovative ideas or problem-solving, reflecting a mixture of reality and imagination.

6.  What themes or messages do you hope viewers take away from your art, especially considering its presence in various international collections?  

I want my message through paintings to be heard by all. We, with love, can make the most beautiful dreams, and then the dreams can grow within the soul and become the supreme factor determining the meaning of a person’s life. We are all capable of significant change and emotional transition. With love for nature that awakens our souls to vast inner freedom, a person’s ability to see around him/her makes perfect peace in his/her soul, and a sense of oneness with nature helps to better understand himself/herself and others and live with peace.

Vira Yakymchuk’s story reminds us of the power of creativity, resilience, and staying connected to nature. Her art reflects the beauty that can be found in even the most challenging times, and she encourages us to embrace love, peace, and self-reflection. To learn more about Vira, click the following links to visit her profile.

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