True Blue & a Little Bit of Yellow — UNITED. The second exhibition by True Blue & a Little Bit of Yellow expanded the circle. This time, Ukrainian and Australian artists came together, united by solidarity and a shared belief in the power of art to help.
Seventeen artists participated in UNITED, a collective effort where local creatives gathered their talent for a clear purpose — to raise funds for humanitarian aid supporting Ukrainians affected by the war.
Held at Curl Curl Creative Space Gallery from 21–24 July, the exhibition became a meeting point of cultures, generosity, and creative voices. We are deeply thankful to everyone who took part, visited, supported the artists, and contributed to this cause.
Cultural Performance at the Ukrainian Festival, Sydney — 2022. In 2022, I curated and produced a major cultural performance at Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour as part of the Ukrainian Festival. The show was created primarily using the private collections of Roxolana Mishalow and Tanya Whitbourn, whose garments carried deep regional and historical significance. This performance was unlike any I had worked on before. All of the models were Ukrainian refugees. Each person on stage carried their own story of displacement, resilience, and survival, which gave the presentation an added layer of meaning that could not be staged or rehearsed. The vibrant regional costumes were intentionally contrasted with the visual narrative behind them. I designed a series of projected slides showing Ukrainian towns and cities before and after the war. Together, costume and imagery created a powerful dialogue — beauty and heritage set against destruction and loss. What emerged was more than a performance. It became a moment of collective remembrance and visibility, honouring Ukrainian culture while acknowledging the realities of war. Through this work, tradition was not frozen in the past, but stood firmly in the present — resilient, human, and deeply alive.
The 7th fundraising exhibition by True Blue & a Little Bit of Yellow took place at Incinerator Art Space, Willoughby, from 16–27 November 2022, and remains one of our most memorable milestones. Over two weeks, we were overwhelmed by the support, kindness, respect, and genuine engagement from the local community. Australiana brought together seven artists and resulted in 18 of 30 artworks sold, with close to $10,000 raised to support people in Ukraine during a time of great need. The exhibition was alive with connection and participation. I conducted two highly successful workshops on site, including a painting workshop where Scarlett Banksia bloomed across every artwork, and a special children’s workshop for students from Nova Ukrainian School. Seeing young participants engage with art in this context was deeply moving. We were honoured to welcome remarkable supporters and guests at the opening, including Mayor of Willoughby City Tanya Taylor, MP Tim James, Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Sydney Jaroslav Duma, Deputy Chief of Mission Volodymyr Shalkivski, Co-chair of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations Kateryna Argirou, and many others. The opening was enriched by the music of Harrison Taranec on tenor saxophone, and the closing event was beautifully marked by violinist Maryana Sywak from Jaga Band. Australiana was more than an exhibition — it was a shared effort, a meeting of art, community, and generosity, and a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when people come together with care and purpose.
