14 april 2012

Korotich - Staryĭ Merchik (Ukraine)

Yesterday evening Vitaly came back in the evening with beer and snacks. He said we had to celebrate something. Indeed, he suprised me with the first version of our experiments here together: a print of some quick drawings I made to put on a bag. Natasja, a neighbour girl came over to help with producing the first 2 bags. I had to choose handles and cut them and all was ready in no time! I am still surprised about the speed with which this happened. I was never even thinking about putting my drawings on a bag until this week.
A lot of energy and new directions for me to consider...


Also my new friend (see previous post) was here today to do some basic brainstorming. She brought special easter bread and decorated eggs. The following 2 days will be more celebrating and food...


This afternoon our Easter weekend officially started with a marvellous visit to professor Oleg Veklenko and his wife Tamara. Professor (as Varia and Vitaly call him), teaches graphic design at the Kharkiv art academy and is also grafprom's 'guru' and the director of 4th Block, an eco-graphical festival in Kiev, so it was a great honour to meet him, to be welcomed in their wonderful typical village house and to help out with some work in their big beautiful garden at the lake. Professor said gardening is very good for an artist, and he also showed me some of his poster designs and some photos and drawings that he made in 1986, when he had to work in Chernobyl during 2 months. My eyes found it hard to believe.
More more more.
My head is bursting with impressions and input on so many levels: visual, ethical, ecological, social....
This night we leave the house at 3, to attend church in Kharkiv and after that to visit more friends of Vitaly and Varia...sleep well!