On August 24, 2022, Vira Ustianska, together with her daughter Vasylisa Tkach, arrived in the USA, where she continued to create new paintings. First months she taught painting at the “Ukrainian School in San Diego”. But now she has chosen the dominant direction of activity – the creation of new series of art.
Inspired by the Paradise nature of California, the artist has begun a new big series with Local landscapes. Mountains and Lakes, Seascapes and Boats, Landmark and Cityscapes became a new big project on a new land. But despite all the delight from the beauty around her, Vira’s heart remains on Ukrainian soil. So, the very important connection with her roots is the “1000 Sunflowers” Project. Working in this direction Vira Ustianska continues her life’s work – the transformation of emotions to history. Today she has almost 200 Sunflower paintings, and each one has a completely different story about nowadays, but decades later, these stories will be converted to the Big History.
A subtle sense of color and burning brushstrokes join together and create a symbiosis of realism and impressionism, breathing life into every picture. On the new land, she retains a love for traditional still life which is still the dominant genre in her work. Some compositions tell us about momentary feelings of delight and joy, and we can feel like children for a moment. As if in childhood, we can watch how the sunbeams play merrily. And just as sincerely enjoy the beauty of ordinary things around us. Floral still lifes are the remaining moments of a yesterday that is running away forever. A favorite flower, carefully grown in the garden, has finally bloomed on canvas and it’s like magic to view and admire this moment day after day. “A simple vase in the rays of the setting sun is now more precious to me than all earthly blessings because it reminds me of a warm evening spent with my family, in those days when there was no war yet,” says the artist. Also, today, when working on new projects, I try to preserve important memories, which sometimes simply dissolve in the information noise of today.
