A huge thank you to everyone who joined the workshop! I’m so proud of the beautiful creations you brought to life and all that you achieved with your creativity. A special shoutout to Sandy Bake Shop for hosting us in such a lovely space — your warm and welcoming environment made the day even more enjoyable. And of course, thank you to Nataliya Bake For Ukraine for the delicious sweet treats — you added that extra touch of magic to our day! It was such a joy to share this creative experience with you all. I can’t wait for the next one!
Every so often, a commission opens the door to an entirely new way of thinking. One such moment came when a client asked for something unexpected — a lightweight, sculptural object in the form of puppets. Creating puppets became an unusual and exciting way for me to explore my creativity. They sit somewhere between sculpture, design, and storytelling. Unlike painting, where the surface holds the narrative, puppets demand attention to volume, balance, texture, and movement. Even at rest, they suggest gesture, character, and presence. Working on these pieces allowed me to think beyond the wall and the frame, translating artistic ideas into tactile, three-dimensional forms. Each puppet became a small character — playful, expressive, and full of personality. This unexpected direction reminded me how important it is to stay open as an artist. New materials, new formats, and new requests can lead to discoveries that expand both practice and imagination — sometimes in the most surprising ways.
Being part of the Heartlands multimedia performance at Cell Block Theatre, Sydney, was a true privilege and an honour. It was a project driven by an incredibly motivated and generous team — a real dream team — and the result was powerful. A person, who came up with the idea of this unique event never held in Sydney before, creative director and producer of Heartlands – Linda Gough. For this performance, I created the artwork of a golden wheat field rising from black soil. Ukraine is often called the breadbasket of Europe, and its fertile land has long nourished not only grain, but literature, music, and cultural memory. This image became the visual heart of the event, reflecting both abundance and endurance. Heartlands offered audiences a deep experience of Ukrainian culture through poetry, music, storytelling, food, and shared presence. To my knowledge, it was the most substantial Ukrainian literary performance ever staged in the Southern Hemisphere, and I am proud to have supported it. My role extended across the full visual identity of the event. I created the key artwork used throughout all materials, designed print collateral including posters, programmes, and food signage, developed digital assets for multiple platforms, and contributed to stage design. During the performance, my artwork formed the visual backdrop on the large screen behind the performers, shaping the atmosphere of the evening.
