A free bird is a happy bird, each of us has ‘wings’ we just need to spread them. The bird is a reminder for us all.
Nature is my muse
Julia Ilkiv (1987) was born and raised in the village of Skhidnytsia, Lviv region, Ukraine. She has been drawing since childhood, but started her professional career relatively recently, after moving to Vynnyky in 2020. She finished a course of academic drawing in ‘Creative’ design school in Lviv in 2014.
Julia Ilkiv uses a wide range of different techniques to create drawings and paintings but is best known for her very finely detailed pen drawings. Her work is dominated by graphic works, especially floral themes.
In 2020, she visited the Vynnyky Art School and atelier of local artist Lev Levkiv. Her work was framed for her first solo exhibition when the war started and she had to flee with her family. Their journey ended in The Netherlands, in Helmond. Where she now lives and works as an artist. There she became one of the participating artists of Make Art Not War (www.makeart-notwar.com). In addition to this collaboration, she had her first exhibition in Eindhoven where she exhibited her black and white pen drawings. Currently she exhibits her work in the Pop-Up Julia Ilkiv & Co. Art Gallery in Helmond. She works intuitively, with small accurate pen-strokes, and knows how to convey her emotions onto paper.
- 01 December 2023 – 31 January 2024
Pop-Up Julia Ilkiv & Co. Art Gallery, Helmond
Exhibition “My colorfull dreams/From Ukraine to Helmond”
Exposition of 40 graphic artworks, made before the war in Ukraine.
Organisator & Curator – Mariëlle van de Kerkhof
- 01-30 September 2023
POST #5700, Group exhibition “Pakketpost”, Helmond
Exposition of 3 graphic artworks. Organisator – Joke Smeulders.
- July 2023 – present
Pop-Up Julia Ilkiv & Co. Art Studio
Providing free workshops for all kinds of participants two times per week.
- 04-09 July 2023
Universiteit Leiden
Completion the Course of botanical illustration and painting.
In Hortus botanicus, Hortus Atelier, tutor – Anita Walsmit Sachs.
- 18 June – 09 July 2023
Exhibition in Kunstcentrum Genhout, Beek, The Netherlands
Exposition of 35 artworks. Concert for refugees, total amount of 11 solded artworks was donated to Stichting Sociaal Medische Hulpverlening aan Oost Europa.
Organisator – Ingrid Henssen, Mathias Brouwers.
- 29 May 2023
Feest in de kasteeltuin
Creating black lines design on canvases, open air workshop with visitors.
Organisator – Museum Helmond, Gemeente Helmond, The Netherlands
- 11 January 2023 – 22 March 2023
University of Oxford
Completion the online course ‘The Impressionists: Painting Modern Life’, taught by Jan Cox
- 22 December 2022 – 29 October 2023
Kasteel exhibition “De kasteeltuin. Door de eeuwen heen”, Helmond, The Netherlands
Exposure of the original watercolour artwork “Blessed”, “Non-ikebana” serie, 2022. Fragments of the work are used for the exhibition’s wall designs.
- 24 September 2022 – present
Pop-Up Julia Ilkiv & Co. Art Gallery
Pop Up Julia Ilkiv & Co. Art Gallery – Elzaspassage 35, Helmond in collaboration with Volop Helmond, Helmond Marketing and Elzaspassage.
Organisator & Curator – Mariëlle van de Kerkhof - 11 September 2022
Helmond Art festival
Presentation of original artworks in Helmond city centre.
Organisator & Curator – Helmond Marketing, Mariëlle van de Kerkhof - 7 July 2022 – 3 October 2022
Group exhibition “Ukrainian Art”, AG Eindhoven
Exposition of 30 graphic artworks about war in Ukraine, made being abroad. Speech on the opening and representation of Ukrainian artists abroad in The Netherlands.
Organisator – Willie Roncken - May 2022 – present
Make Art Not War
Taking part, being one of the Ukrainian artist, situated in The Netherlands. Selling prints for donation and support of Ukrainian art and refugeeorganisation. (www.makeart-notwar.com)
Organisator & Curator – Ingeborg Vriends - April 2022 – September 2022
Visiting and working at Paul Dirks art studio in Helmond, The Netherlands. - January 2021 – Mai 2022
Member of Ukrainian professional art market platform Senka.
33 artworks published.
3 artworks are sold. - June 2020 – present
Member of Ukrainian professional art market platform SilSol.
150 artworks published.
36 artworks are sold.
Amount of 16 sold artworks was donated to Ukrainian army in period of war.
13 artworks got expect recommendation. - June 2020 – January 2022
Partly visiting Vynnyky art school, atelier of local artist Lev Levkiv, preparation for the first solo exhibition in Vynnyky, Ukraine. - February 2014 – June 2014
Finished course of academic drawing in “Creative” design school, Lviv, Ukraine
In my mind there is no limit
