Meet the Ukrainian Artist Helping Londoners Connect Through Art

Olya Dobrovolska is a London-based artist who is using her talents to connect with children and adults alike. After graduating from the Ukrainian Academy of Printing in Lviv, she moved to London to continue her career as an artist. Her art is fantastical and nostalgic, and offers something that both children and adults can enjoy, from precise still-lifes and portraits to charming, surreal images, such as a googly-eyed red dragon fishing off London Bridge.

As well as making her art, Olya wants to use her skills to help children make their own. According to child psychologists art is a valuable way for children to process their world, to deal with sometimes scary emotions in a safe way, and to help build their critical sensory faculties. But for the kids themselves, art is simply fun, and Olya is helping children across London to experience it.

Not all art is universal, but Olya tries to make sure that hers is appealing to everyone. Through her exhibitions and website, she uses her warm, engaging style to open people up to the possibilities of artistic expression. By doing this she has helped make friends across the world, and hopes to continue to spread this positivity across London as well.

What’s often lost in the modern flurry of Facebook feeds and Twitter tweets is that we have the means now to be more connected than ever, but unfortunately many find it hard to truly connect with each other. By offering adults an escape into her colourful worlds, and helping young people create their own, Olya is showing that having the courage to express oneself can lead to many great things, as well as helping the next generation find the skills to do so.

She shows that expression can be therapeutic, fun and above all positive; and by sharing our expression with the world we can bring that positivity out in others too.A collection of Olya’s work can be found on her website. Olya is also mounting an exhibition called Impressions at Caxton House Community Centre.

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