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OLHA PASTUCHIV Several months have already passed since that un forgettable day when Olha K. Pastuchiv visited our office. But instead of a structured interview, our meeting unfolded into an informal, spontaneous session. We talked of Olha’s interests and passions, namely art and travel. Today, travel is commonplace, yet Olha’s motiva tions and enthusiasm reveal an uncommon intensity and depth. As she recounted, it all began with a trip to Greece in the summer of 1980, when she and a friend camped out in a castle. Olha was especially enchanted by a particular light shewatche playing high on the towers of seven monasteries. She lollowed it, walking from one monastery to another, even though it was sively and apathetically allows itself to be swept aside in the process of russification. This accusation comes eas ily from those who live in a democratic system and lack a realistic comprehenison of the insidious nature of Russian Imperialism, which carries a long history of repression, exile and imprisonment of free-thinking individuals. It is difficult to imagine how any ethnic group can maintain its identity rather than capitulate to the aggressor and adapt for the sake of survival. Yet the quest for freedom among our people has never been defeated. Undoubtedly, the legacy of freedom.no matter how distant its realization may have seemed throughout history, has been kept alive by our forefathers and gives us strength today, and for the future, until the day it is achieved by our people and on our land. Translation from Ukrainian, “Our Life", XI. 77. necessary to scale 500-600 steps. Once she stayed at a women’s monastery for over a month. Another unique experience for Olha was her stay in a fishing boat, a vantage point from which she could observe the light in all its hues caught on the iridescent flesh of the fish and wonder at the awesome beauty of the sea. For a time, Olha lived on an island with an elderly couple who owned 3000 goats. At one time inhabited, this island, lacking electricity and other modern con veniences, eventually became virtually deserted. In her retelling, Olha’s love of travel is distinguished by an acute sensitivity to beauty. Her search for a moment of exquisite light, for a stunning visual arran gement, for a hidden angle, is reflected in her artistic impulses. It is obvious that many of her travels have inspired and fed her creativity. This creative impulse was nurtured early in life. As a child, Olha played the bandura. As well, she was drawn to the visual arts. But it would be a while before her particular expression crys tallized and she found her artistic path. Upon her par ents’ encouragement to follow a more practical route, Olha studied biology and languages (Russian and Ger man). Accepted at both Vassar College and Barnard, two prestigious women’s colleges, she chose Vassar, where she had obtained a full academic scholarship. After completion of her studies, Olha worked at Schoe- nhof’s Foreign Bookstore in the Slavic section. This left her little time for her painting and she decided instead to study at the Massachusetts College of Art. In the meantime, she traveled — to Greece, Italy, Germany. Always searching for subjects to paint and laden with her painting supplies, she encountered fas cinating museums, people, scenes. Olha utilizes many different techniques: charcoal, pencil, acrylic, waterco- lor, mixed media, pastel chalk. She creates graphics, woodcuts, paintings. Ольга K. Пастухів. Поштова картка з Греції. Дереворит. Olha К. Pastuchiv. Postcard from Greece. Woodcut.
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