Larysa Matchak, Mariia Parshykova & Svitlana Melobenska
MAY 10, 2024 to MAY 30, 2024
Our May Signature Artists features artists Larysa Matchak, Mariia Parshykova & Svitlana Melobenska.
Exhibition will be on view at ACUA May 10 – May 30 during regular hours. Opening Reception is Friday May 10 starting at 6:00 p.m.
Gallery Hours
Tue-Thu 10am-4pm
Friday 2pm-7pm
Saturday 11am-3pm
ACUA
10554 110 Street
Edmonton
Larysa Matchak
Color, rhythm, contrast, and forces of nature, all contribute towards the inspiration for Larysa Matchak’s paintings. When she paints and expresses herself through art she experiences a euphoric feeling of freedom and contentment. Her paintings are characterized by vivid colors and bold expressive brush strokes involving experimentation and spontaneity. She believes we are all drawn to original works of art because they represent and radiate the soul and spirit of the individual who created it.
Along with her current work as a teacher and assistant principal, Larysa has been painting and exhibiting her works for over fifteen years. Larysa has participated in art exhibits and art walks in Edmonton and other events sponsored by the University of Alberta, Edmonton Art Gallery, Alberta Council for the Ukrainian Arts, The Harcourt House Gallery (Edmonton), KUMF Gallery (Toronto), solo exhibits, at conferences and festivals across Canada, and in Europe. Larysa continues to explore new ideas and approaches to painting which isevident in how her paintings have transformed and continue to push boundaries.
Larysa’s artistic style combines raw talent with sensitivity to light, color, and emotion which reveal a dream-like impression of the subject matter and bold interpretation of the subject.
Mariia Parshykova
Mariia Parshykova is a sculptor who worked in the field of architecture in Ukraine. Her sculptures are metal wire which is usually used to tie rebar on construction sites. It is a strong and malleable material, and it perfectly holds its shape while combined with the organicity of lines inherent in nature. Her inspiration comes from nature and almost all her sculptures depict flora and fauna.
Before landing on wire sculpture Mariia experimented with a lot of different techniques, materials, and combinations. She used origami and papier-mâché techniques, clay, plastic, thread, and fabrics. Perhaps the choice of material was influenced by her passion for graphic drawing. The line style perfectly reflects her mood and conveys the atmosphere of the object she is shaping. When she creates sculptures, she strives for harmony of lines while drawing with wire in three-dimensional space.
Svitlana Melobenska
Svitlana Melobenska is an accomplished sand artist and teacher with over 19 years of teaching experience. She is the founder and head of the Sand Art Center MS-art and has been instrumental in the development and popularization of sand art in Ukraine and abroad for over a decade. In 2012, she established her private workshop, which eventually grew into the MS-art Sand Art Center. The center works with gifted children on original programs and courses and trains professional sand artists.
In addition to her work as an artist and teacher, Svitlana is also an author, having written a trilogy of children’s books about the Vinnytsia gnomes and a workbook on fiberglass. She is an advocate for the development of sand art in Ukraine and beyond, with a particular interest in involving gifted children and talented youth in sand art.
Svitlana has been recognized for her accomplishments as an artist and teacher. She has served as a jury member for international talent competitions in the United States and Great Britain and is a mentor for the Ukrainian platform “Women in Business.” She is also a member of the Business People Club platform and founded the regional contemporary art competition “Magician of Art” in January 2022. Melobenska has won numerous prizes and awards in international talent contests, including the Grand Prix in Luchka, Slovakia in 2020 and the Grand Prix in Versailles, France in 2021.
