“When you get to work, Ukraine should be felt in it”

Collection of ceramics and blan­kets made of wool from Ivano-Frankivsk region was presented at the joint exhibition that opened on June 19 at the National Union of Craftsmen of Ukraine.

Craftsman Ihor Radysh is one of those people, who can convey the spi­rit of the past in a modern way through delicately elegant mug, bowl, pitcher, or pot. The whole series of the works presented at the exhibition come from the village of Rozhniv, Ivano-Fran­kivsk oblast. Floral and animal patterns complement the images of people: a young man playing the flute, thoughtful girl in a wreath, men tired from work by a plow. Besides, nearly every work is accompanied by a bird motif. The visitors of the exhibition can experience the magical power of clay by contemplating the series “Worlds Coming Together,” “Sunny Day,” “Red Flowers,” “Keeper of Sacred Sources,” and “In the Field.” Works by Ihor Radysh also contain religious motifs, such as the image of the Blessed Virgin with a child. “I practically took the story from an icon on glass. Archangel was taken from murals of the church. Sometimes I take the murals of Saint Sofia as my guiding point,” told the master.

Founders and outstanding masters of Kosiv ceramics – the style Radysh uses in his work, were Oleksa Bakhmatiuk and Ivan Baraniuk, who lived back in the 19th century. We asked the artist about what the ornaments on products symbolize and why is there such a variety of patterns. To that the artist responded with a smile: “From everywhere: from carpets, embroideries, Uk­rai­nian folk paintings, and individual works of old masters. I always say: when you get to work, Ukraine should be felt in it. In my works Kosiv colors, floral and geometric ornaments are combined. I also use old stories and sometimes interpret them in my own way.” Then he enthusiastically added: “For example, those paintings depict a violinist. I took this image from a tile. It is a bit stylized and altered. And this image was taken from tiles made by Oleksa Bakhmatiuk.” The master continued: “Right next to it a musician of that time, they wore such coats under the rule of Austria.”
 
Apart from ceramics, visitors’ attention is drawn to another type of folk art – blanket making. Vasylyna Kopylchuk from the village of Yavoriv, Ivano-Frankivsk ob­last shared the secrets of a complex technique of wool blanket mak­ing: “This is a natural product made of wool. We first shear the sheep – it is done once a year in spring time. The wool that was clipped should be washed. We soak it in hot water for half an hour. Then we wash it with cold water, dry it and sort it. White wool goes to white, black to black. Then the wool is combed on a combing machine. Back in the old times it was all done ma­­nual­ly, but now we have electric equipment. After that we start spinning. About four kilograms of wool is needed for one blanket.” The master of wool blanket making says that her village is the center of this craft. Every home has a spindle, loom, and wool. Older people teach children this craft. “Starting from five years of age every child is able to weave a wool blanket,” Kopylshuk said proudly about her countrymen. By the way, in order to get a really natural pro­duct, craftsmen use paint made from walnut, oak bark, and various herbs. How­ever, nowadays chemical dyes are used as well.

Exhibition of Hutsul craftsmen is open in Kyiv until July 5.