Beadwork from Ukraine and by Ukrainian Artists

Looking through the pictures of my travels to Ukraine, I found lots of them that I can create a special album, called "Beaded Art from Ukraine" (and also made by Ukrainian people, who lives abroad now).

So, on the pictures below you can see beaded Easter eggs, handmade by Ukrainian artists from Lviv, the biggest city on the West of Ukraine. I brought many beaded eggs from Lviv. Some of them I showed you already here, on this blog; those ones that I am showing you today I got in my travel to western Ukraine in 2014. They are special because they made under the influence of American Indigenous People beadwork art, in similar colors and pattern (long time ago I have mentioned about a similarity of Ukrainian and Native American beaded arts and crafts):

Next beadwork, that I want to share with you, is look quite simple, but it is definitely made with warm hart and fresh inspiration. This is a beaded picture of a butterfly sitting on a chamomile:

The picture has a story. I was shopping for souvenirs at the Vorokhta craft market in Carpathian Mountains, which are on the West of Ukraine. Among all those beautiful goodies (wooden crafts, sheep wool etc) I have noticed this beaded picture and I felt in love with it immediately. It was something special in it. I have asked a girl-vendor, who made it. She answered, "I did". She looked pretty young, so I asked, how old is she, she said, "Eighteen". Of course, I got the picture! Now it is on the wall in my Canadian home and warming my heart every time I look at it.

Here is another special picture I brought from Ukraine - an icon of the Mother of God. You cannot even say from the fight sight that it is actually beaded. Looks like painted, but it is embroidered with beads:

The picture is very special to me, too, because, first of all, I got it for my birthday gift, and, second of all, it is made by the member of my Ukrainian family - my cousin's wife. Yes, my Ukrainian family branch got such an artistic people!

And finally, here is what I got for Christmas-2014 from my dear friend from USA Daria Iwasko - a beaded Angel, made in colors of Ukrainian flag and with Ukrainian Coat of Arms on it:

Another Angel Christmas ornament I got from Daria is made in colors of Canadian flag - as Canada is my second home now.

Daria is American artist, originally from Ukraine. Lviv is her home city. I love Daria's art so much and I am so lucky to have her as my friend-artist!

To all the beadwork art lovers - western Ukraine it is the place to go for it! You can find lots of traditional and contemporary beadwork items at the Vernisazh Souvenir Market in Lviv, at craft markets in Yaremche and Vorokhta in Carpathian Mountains, also in craft stores in Ternopil and Ivano-Frankivsk.

Happy travels and happy souvenir shopping! :)