She creates cheerful paintings with flowers, the sea and the summer warmth. Olena helps other women to dress up amazing clothing with flower prints. She also creates summer mood in interiors with the bright decorative items. Today Olena Onufriv shares her positive approach to life with Destinations’ readers.
Olena, your works are a kind of an art therapy.
Thank you.
Tell us please about the start. What influenced positive concept of your creativity?
In 2000 I made my first trip abroad. It was England where I felt a great desire to transfer the colors, the volume, the smell and even the sound of leaves and flowers to the canvas. I was lucky to paint there for 1,5 months. It was the start.
I love my job and I adore travelling and I am very pleased to share my emotions with other people through my works. Lately I've been inspired by the Mediterranean countries. I love spring and summer time. With my every trip I paint a collection of works that are part of my inner world.
Why did you decide to create Couture de Fleur brand?
During the last 7 years I have been in love with Italy and with Como Lake in particular, with its amazing nature. This part of Italy is the place where the best silk is produced. Now I have a reason to go there more often because I order fabric for my Couture de Fleur brand over there. The idea appeared when I wanted to make some gifts for my clients. I started with silk scarves with my flower print. Later we made some nice collections of wearing for women and some home décor items.
Anyone who looks at your paintings feels joy. What does "to be happy" mean for you?
It means to love, to be loved, to be able to give anything, to have an opportunity to jump into the car and to escape to the sea. I feel happiness while walking down the streets, while being the part of my son’s world and I am happy when I have enough time for painting. And happiness is inside of me when I know that those whom I love are healthy.
Do you have any remedy for blues? How do you cope with a bad mood, fatigue and stress?
Well, I don’t have blues. If I am in a bad mood, it is just for a half an hour. I'm Gemini, so my mood changes quickly. I don’t have time for a bad mood because I have to work . If I am tired I go in for sports, I make a trip somewhere or switch to some other tasks in my work.
What does the family mean to you? And how do you manage to combine work and family life?
Family is the most important thing in my life. I am lucky with my husband, he understands me very well. He is a sculptor and works a lot too.
I have assistants at home, so I don’t spend time for housekeeping. The son started to travel with us when he was six months old. So we are always together! I do have time to communicate with family!
If we talk about your colleagues, could you please name modern Ukrainian artists that you like?
I like the works of Ivanka and Alexander Voytovych.
Speaking the language of flowers, what flower would represent Ukraine in your opinion?
I am thinking of sunflowers and hollyhocks.
Where and when will you have your exhibitions?
My current exhibition is in "Coffee World" coffeehouse in Lviv. The next one is not planned yet.
Have you started to work on the new Couture de Fleur clothing collection already?
Yes, now we work on Autumn/Winter 2016 and finish Spring 2016 collection.
When can we expect Couture de Fleur store opening in Kyiv?
We try to find the right place now, so probably it will happen in spring.
Website: http://www.onufriv.com/ http://cdfleur.com/
