Books have always felt magical to me. Unlike social media, they don’t disappear into a feed — they stay in your hands, on your shelf, and in your life. A book captures what’s important and preserves it for generations. And to make that experience meaningful, every detail matters.
Over the years, I’ve worked on many publications — sometimes creating the layout, other times designing covers, illustrations, or managing the entire visual direction.
One of my favourite projects was Taste of Ukraine, published by the Australian Publishing Company (sovabooks.com.au). I created the cover illustrations and the full layout — and the book went on to win the 2013 Gourmand World Cookbook Award.
I’ve also worked with community organisations, including Ukrainians Down Under for AFUO, where I served as both editor and designer for their catalogue. Four Jubilee Book for Intersession of Holy Virgin Parish is one of the thickest and most comprehensive publication I’ve worked on to date.
Each book is its own world — structured, tactile, permanent. And I love shaping those worlds so they’re clear, beautiful, and built to last.
Before moving to Australia, I spent five formative years working at Edipresse Ukraine, an international publishing house. I began as a designer and illustrator and later took on the role of chief editor, alongside working as a photographer and illustrator. This period played a significant role in shaping my approach to clarity, storytelling, and creating strong, high-quality visual narratives. Between 2004 and 2009, I worked across a wide range of publications and roles: 2006–2009 — Chief Editor, Photographer, Designer & Illustrator, Fun Ideas (children’s craft magazine) 2006 — Designer & Illustrator, English Teen Club (English-learning magazine for teenagers) 2004–2008 — Illustrator, Horoscope (women’s magazine) 2005 — Designer, Marketing Department
For me, as for many of my collectors, moving to Australia has been a blessed and life-changing experience. At the same time, it doesn’t erase the feeling of missing home. Memory travels with us — through seasons, colours, familiar landscapes, and small visual details that stay deeply rooted inside. Quite often, Ukrainian collectors commission artworks that reconnect them with home. These might be flowers remembered from a childhood garden, the softness of snow, the glow of golden autumn, or the unmistakable outlines of traditional Ukrainian architecture. These subjects carry emotional weight — they speak of belonging, memory, and personal history. I find great meaning in creating these works, because I share the same feelings. Painting nostalgic themes allows me to revisit places and atmospheres that shaped me, while offering others a visual connection to what they hold dear. The artwork becomes more than an image; it becomes a bridge between past and present, between where we come from and where we are now. Through these commissions, nostalgia turns into something tangible — a way to honour memory, identity, and the enduring connection to home, even when life unfolds far from it.
