Stefan Melnychenko Ukrainian Painter and Artist

Stefan Melnychenko was born in Korpets, Ternopil Region, Ukraine.

He graduated from the National Institute of Applied Arts(now the National Academy of Fine Arts), in Lviv, Western Ukraine. He lectured at the National Institute of Applied Arts from 1973 until 1978, and participated in numerous group art exhibitions in the Ukraine.

He was an Art Consultant for the State Historical Archives of the Ukraine, in Lviv from 1978 until 1988. He completed numerous unique artworks for a special scientific and methodical museum in this institution.

Stefan has lived in Edmonton since 1990 and has had several solo exhibtions and numerous group art exhibitions in Canada.

His artworks include landscapes and seascapes portraits and icons, interior decorations (Bishops Coat of Arms) and a few murals.

He works mostly in acrylic oils and oil pastel and also gouashe, soft pastel, colour pencils and tempera media. His paintings can be found in private collections in Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, Russia, Germany, USA, New Zealand and Canada. The Mayor of Edmonton, the Honourable Stephen Mandel is a proud owner of one of his original works.

In the summer of 2001, he completed a large sized outdoor mural

(24 feet X 50 feet) in Kenora, Ont. It is based on the motifs of the Ukrainian Settlement in the Kenora region at the turn of the twentieth century.

Stefan, In His Own Words

In my childhood I experienced the horrors and suffering of World War II. I grew up, studied and worked under the brutality of the Soviet Totalitarian Regime during which I experienced a lot of suffering. I knew what sorrow was at a very early age. I saw a lot of injustice and tears.

My wounded soul fought against the lies and humiliation. I longed for the beauty in the world of the arts. Thus I became an artist in order to praise the beauty in the world.

I am especially moved by the majesty, beauty and harmony of Nature. It is nice to see how Canadians respect and preserve the beauty of Nature. Although Canada is my new country, I feel very much at home here and I would like to contribute to Canadian Art and Culture.

The rich cultural and artistic heritage of the Ukraine, as part of European civilization, and the historical past of my people are the roots which nurture my creativeness.

When I paint in open air, I try to capture beauty even in a very simple theme, looking for something new, for the next artistic interpretation.

For me, creativity means a lot of work, improving to perfection, professionalism and self-discipline. I like the wisdom of the phrase

"many are looking, but how many actually see".

Friendliness and kindness, the desire to see and understand, remembering my parents, teachers and friends, knowledge and experience, appreciation of the arts and respect towards the artistic profession, the desire to create but not to copy, patience and self-confidence, love and respect from my family and friends, love and faith in God, all give me new energy and inspiration to go forward to new horizons.