In August 2024, more than 725 guests gathered at Sydney Town Hall to mark the 33rd anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence, standing together in solidarity, pride, and unity. The event, organised by the Ukrainian Council of NSW, unfolded as a powerful theatrical performance sharing Ukraine’s history, culture, and resilience.
I took part in the program through live sand animation, accompanying the story of Illia — a brave Ukrainian boy who shared his lived experience on stage. As Illia spoke in front of the audience, I illustrated his words in real time with sand, allowing the images to emerge and dissolve alongside his voice. The story was deeply moving — painful, yet filled with hope for a better future.
Working with sand live on stage brings its own challenges. Under pressure, with nerves and lights, even something as simple as sand becomes unpredictable — warm palms, fine grains sticking to skin, moments that cannot be undone. But perhaps that fragility is exactly what made the experience so honest.
Illia’s story was shared with remarkable courage. At just twelve years old, he stood before the audience to tell the truth of what he had lived through. A video of this performance is available, featuring Illia Kyrychenko, with sand animation by Tetiana Koldunenko, and script, direction, and filming by Kateryna Kyrychenko.
It was an honour to be part of a moment where story, image, and human strength met on one stage.
Spring Gives Us Hope was a fundraising exhibition by True Blue & a Little Bit of Yellow, held at Mona Vale Pop-Up Gallery on Sydney’s Northern Beaches from 17–28 October 2022. Unstoppable in our commitment, we continued to paint, exhibit, and raise funds to support those in need, using art as a way to respond, connect, and help. The exhibition was filled with colour and optimism — flowers, birds, and vibrant palettes came together to reflect renewal, resilience, and the emotional lift that spring brings. It was an uplifting visual response during a difficult time, offering light and hope through art. We are deeply grateful to everyone who visited, supported the exhibition, and purchased artworks. Your generosity made a real difference. Knowing that, once again, art could help support the people of Ukraine is something that continues to warm our hearts.
I’m back in the studio, back to normality, and ready to continue sharing what I love most — my knowledge of art, different techniques and practical skills that can open up new possibilities for your own creativity. This October, I’m offering two very different workshops, both suitable for all levels and for adults and young people aged 12+. Come and spend a few hours making art, learning a new technique and getting your hands back to the brush. I look forward to seeing you in the studio! 🇺🇦 Petrykivka: Mastering the One-Stroke Technique Discover the beautiful Ukrainian folk painting style of Petrykivka. In this workshop, you’ll learn about the history of Petrykivka and how flowers, leaves and berries are built through different brushstrokes. You’ll also learn how to load two colours onto one brush and control its movement to create variations of colour, shape and tone. This is particularly valuable for artists and beginners because it gives you a chance to really understand your brush as a tool — how its shape and size affect the mark, how to control pressure and movement, and how to master the stroke of your brush. Illusion of Distance: The Tricks of Perspective
