Yurko Fedynskyj grew up in the USA and came to Ukraine to work with traditional musical instruments. In Kriachkivka, Poltava region, he makes kobzas, banduras, torbans, lyres, and harps.
A sculptor from Lviv, Hordii Starukh, who plays multiple musical instruments, has been manufacturing lyres for over ten years.
Andrii Lopushynskyi lives in Kherson, works in National Reserve “Khortytsia” and produces buhai — a rare folk musical instrument.
The craftsman is working on an electric guitar body for Universum Guitars brand, based in Bila Tserkva. Their guitars successfully compete on the world market and represent Ukraine at international music fairs.
Mykhailo Dzvinchuk from the Carpathian village of Kosmach has been passionate about playing cymbals since childhood. His father, Ivan Dzvinchuk, makes cymbals for music schools as well as personal orders.
Mykhailo Tafiichuk is a musician and master of hutsul national musical instruments, who makes bagpipes, pipes, horns, trembitas, lyres, violins, cymbals, and such, by hand.
Serhiy Horban is a self-taught craftsman who has his own pottery studio in downtown Dnipro, as well as a countless amount of little secrets about achieving high quality in production. On top of that, he is turning his studio into a full-fledged cultural centre.
Mykhaylo Havryshkiv is one of the few craftsmen that live and work in Havarechyna village. It is one of the most famous pottery centers in Halychyna, where black-smocked ceramics are made.
Andriy Boichuk is a potter who lives in Kosmach and creates functional and decorative dinnerware.
There are hundreds of small-scale pottery studios in Sloviansk, Slobozhanshchyna. The city’s economy is still based on the century-old tradition.
Mykola Poshyvailo is a representative of a family line of potters, which has been developing the craft in Opishne, Poltavshchyna, since the late 18th century. The craftsman passed away in October, 2017.
Olha Piliuhina is a master who, together with her family, develops the carpet weaving tradition in Reshetylivka, Poltavshchyna.
Natalia Kischuk from Yavoriv, a village in Hutsulshchyna, makes lizhnyks, which are weaved from wool.
A Carpathian artisan, Maria Heletiuk, knits woolen socks and sweaters.
Hanna Kopylchuk has been producing lizhnyks in Yavoriv since childhood.
Maria Symulyk, just like most residents of Iza village in Zakarpattia, gathers and prepares vines and weaves regular baskets, breadbaskets, and even furniture sets.
Vasyl Hudz from Vilshanka and Mykola Shpytko from Osychky weave brooms. In these specific villages, as well as a few others in Podillia, multiple families are involved in this craft.
Volodymyr Yakovenko, an amateur inventor who lives in a Carpathian village of Iltsi, has been working for over 30 years on building an ornithopter, an aircraft that was invented half a century ago but has not been fully developed yet.
Leonid Kovalchuk, an aircraft designer from Bukovyna, has been working on a wooden biplane, made of carpathian pine, since 2003.
Volodymyr Vavilov, a wood master and a self-taught car assembler from Makariv, Naddniprianshchyna, has been working on a car that impresses everyone since 2015.
Nataliia Rybak, a master of Petrykivka painting, continues creating patterns using this unique technique. Petrykivka is spread in the village of the same name in Podniprovia and Zaporizhzhia.
Sergiy Kasianov and Viktor Rakovskyi are masters of Samchyky painting style. They work in an art school in Samchyky village in Podillia. Thanks to their work, this style has become more and more recognizable.
Ivan Tarnovytskyi lives in Krasnoilsk, Bukovyna, and is one of the few craftsmen that create authentic Malanka masks.
Vasyl Stoliar and his wife Lidiya design masks and assist in creating Malanka characters for the annual celebration in Vashkivtsi, Bukovyna.
For centuries, handicrafts have been an important way of providing work and salary for many people. Ukraine has quite a few handicraft locations with distinctive regional features. Even though nowadays manual labour can be easily replaced, the value and cost of it keeps increasing. During the expedition, we frequently meet talented craftsmen; there are thousands of them all over Ukraine. In this photo project, we have selected 50 best images of craftsmen from different parts of our country.
In different regions of Ukraine, there are craftsmen that make both traditional and modern, unique or popular musical instruments. They create made-to-order items or start successful music businesses.
Yurko Fedynskyj grew up in the USA and came to Ukraine to work with traditional musical instruments. In Kriachkivka, Poltava region, he makes kobzas, banduras, torbans, lyres, and harps. Photo: Taras Kovalchuk
A sculptor from Lviv, Hordii Starukh, who plays multiple musical instruments, has been manufacturing lyres for over ten years. Photo: Alina Rudya
Andrii Lopushynskyi lives in Kherson, works in National Reserve “Khortytsia” and produces buhai — a rare folk musical instrument. Photo: Alina Kondratenko
The craftsman is working on an electric guitar body for Universum Guitars brand, based in Bila Tserkva. Their guitars successfully compete on the world market and represent Ukraine at international music fairs. Photo: Katya Akvarelna
Mykhailo Dzvinchuk from the Carpathian village of Kosmach has been passionate about playing cymbals since childhood. His father, Ivan Dzvinchuk, makes cymbals for music schools as well as personal orders. Photo: Nick Zavilinskyi
Mykhailo Tafiichuk is a musician and master of hutsul national musical instruments, who makes bagpipes, pipes, horns, trembitas, lyres, violins, cymbals, and such, by hand. Photo: Alina Kondratenko
Pottery is an ancient craft of many nations, and each country has its unique features. In Ukraine, there are entire regions known for pottery, as well as independent potters who invest into the development of this craft.
Serhiy Horban is a self-taught craftsman who has his own pottery studio in downtown Dnipro, as well as a countless amount of little secrets about achieving high quality in production. On top of that, he is turning his studio into a full-fledged cultural centre. Photo: Khrystyna Kulakovska
Mykhaylo Havryshkiv is one of the few craftsmen that live and work in Havarechyna village. It is one of the most famous pottery centers in Halychyna, where black-smocked ceramics are made. Photo: Katya Akvarelna
Andriy Boichuk is a potter who lives in Kosmach and creates functional and decorative dinnerware. Photo: Nick Zavilinskyi
There are hundreds of small-scale pottery studios in Sloviansk, Slobozhanshchyna. The city’s economy is still based on the century-old tradition. Photo: Pavlo Pakhomenko
Mykola Poshyvailo is a representative of a family line of potters, which has been developing the craft in Opishne, Poltavshchyna, since the late 18th century. The craftsman passed away in October, 2017. Photo: Serhii Korovajnyj
Carpet and lizhnyk weaving, basket weaving, broom weaving, and sweater knitting. Ukraine is filled with talented craftsmen, families, and entire villages, who tie their lives with these crafts and produce articles for the whole country.
Olha Piliuhina is a master who, together with her family, develops the carpet weaving tradition in Reshetylivka, Poltavshchyna. Photo: Anna Chapala
Natalia Kischuk from Yavoriv, a village in Hutsulshchyna, makes lizhnyks, which are weaved from wool. Photo: Nick Zavilinskyi
A Carpathian artisan, Maria Heletiuk, knits woolen socks and sweaters. Photo: Nick Zavilinskyi
Hanna Kopylchuk has been producing lizhnyks in Yavoriv since childhood. Photo: Alina Kondratenko
Maria Symulyk, just like most residents of Iza village in Zakarpattia, gathers and prepares vines and weaves regular baskets, breadbaskets, and even furniture sets. Photo: Serhii Korovajnyj
Vasyl Hudz from Vilshanka and Mykola Shpytko from Osychky weave brooms. In these specific villages, as well as a few others in Podillia, multiple families are involved in this craft. Photo: Oleksii Karpovych
Putting together a personal airplane or a car is a task that, on top of scientific knowledge, requires ingenuity and creativity. Construction enthusiasts from different regions in Ukraine have ambitious dreams that take years of devotion.
Volodymyr Yakovenko, an amateur inventor who lives in a Carpathian village of Iltsi, has been working for over 30 years on building an ornithopter, an aircraft that was invented half a century ago but has not been fully developed yet. Photo: Alina Kondratenko
Leonid Kovalchuk, an aircraft designer from Bukovyna, has been working on a wooden biplane, made of carpathian pine, since 2003. Photo: Vasyl Salyha
Volodymyr Vavilov, a wood master and a self-taught car assembler from Makariv, Naddniprianshchyna, has been working on a car that impresses everyone since 2015. Photo: Katya Akvarelna
Ukrainian decorative painting is a type of folk art that was developed in villages over centuries. Distinctive patterns were used to decorate houses, stoves, furniture, and dinnerware. To this day, there are painters in different areas who maintain and spread these traditions.
Nataliia Rybak, a master of Petrykivka painting, continues creating patterns using this unique technique. Petrykivka is spread in the village of the same name in Podniprovia and Zaporizhzhia. Photo: Yurii Stefanyak
Sergiy Kasianov and Viktor Rakovskyi are masters of Samchyky painting style. They work in an art school in Samchyky village in Podillia. Thanks to their work, this style has become more and more recognizable. Photo: Nick Zavilinskyi
Bukovyna is considered to be a region that has best preserved winter holidays traditions, such as Malanka. Year after year, local craftsmen create distinctive carnival masks for fellow villagers.
Ivan Tarnovytskyi lives in Krasnoilsk, Bukovyna, and is one of the few craftsmen that create authentic Malanka masks. Photo: Oleksandr Khomenko
Vasyl Stoliar and his wife Lidiya design masks and assist in creating Malanka characters for the annual celebration in Vashkivtsi, Bukovyna. Photo: Oleksandr Khomenko
