Aliya Bodnar is an artist whose work is imbued with deep meaning and sincerity. Her path in art has been thorny, but it was the hardships she endured that sharpened her sensitivity to the world, giving her a unique voice in painting. From the smell of oil paints as a child to masterclasses in the UK, here are 18 facts to help you better understand this amazing artist.
Soul Geography
Aliia was born in Surgut, spent her childhood in Tashkent, and then lived for over 30 years in Chernivtsi, a city in Ukraine built in the Austro-Hungarian tradition. It was this city that taught her to perceive architecture as a witness to time.
First Steps in Creativity
Her earliest childhood memory of creativity is linked to the smell of oil paints in her grandfather’s workshop and the horses drawn in her school notebooks. Even then, she felt that the world could be understood through form and color.
Unexpected Turn
Despite her early love for art, Aliia received an education in management and worked as a marketer for 18 years. This profession taught her to see strategy in chaos, a skill that now helps her build a career as an artist.
Back to art
Her return to painting was not from boredom, but from pain. Strokes, oncology, war, emigration—all of this did not break her, but only sharpened her sensitivity to the world, becoming a powerful catalyst for creativity.
Choice of Watercolor
Aliia chose watercolor because, for her, it is like life itself: elusive, unpredictable, and honest. The artist believes you cannot control it, but you can trust it.
Unwavering Principles
Her inner compass is justice and sincerity. Aliia cannot do things “like everyone else” and will never compromise on what she believes in.
Dialogue Across Centuries
Aliia doesn’t just paint “beauty.” She is interested in the contrast between the transience of modernity and the resilience of architectural heritage. Her paintings are a dialogue between eras, the world, and the person who sees it.
Call for Pause
If Aliia could convey one thought to the viewer, it would be this: “The world demands speed from us, but art teaches us to stop.” There is this pause—a space for breathing—in her paintings.
New Home, New Opportunities
On February 12, 2024, Aliia moved to the United Kingdom and now lives in Kent county. These lands have become not just a new home for her, but a space for recovery and growth.
Creating the Castalia Art Community
Aliia is beginning to form the Castalia art community—a quiet haven for artists who seek strength in meaning and honesty. Its goal is to help others follow their own artistic path, without being swayed by noise and trends.
Transition to Professional Career
Aliia has been actively painting since 2021, but for a long time, she viewed it as reflection and self-expression. It was only after moving to the UK in 2024 that she decided to pursue an art career. In early 2025, she began mentorship with an art curator to understand how an artist’s reputation is built through participation in exhibitions and other factors. So, while creativity has long been with her, her professional art career is just beginning.
Charity Through Art
Aliia conducts charitable watercolor masterclasses at Sunflower Café, a project dedicated to the adaptation of Ukrainians in the UK. For her, art here is care, not a product.
Art for Peace
Four of Aliia’s works were sold at the “Art for Peace” charity auction in April, accounting for 38% of the total amount raised. This collaboration showed that the auction organizers prefer working with professional artists.
Recognition and Philanthropy
Aliya’s painting ‘Morning stillness on Kobylianska’ became the winner of the 49th season of the Golden Time Talent competition and was sold before the auction for 300 pounds. All proceeds went to help Ukrainian defenders.
Hearts, Not Walls
Aliia’s paintings are held in private collections in the UK, Ukraine, Israel, Romania, and Estonia. But for her, what matters more than the location is the heart into which they have entered.
Project on the Female Essence
Aliia is currently working on a special art project in collaboration with a psychotherapist-sexologist. These will be series of watercolor works that convey deep female states—vulnerability, sensuality, freedom—through imagery, color, and symbolism. The project aims to gently guide women back to their authentic selves—without masks, without shame, with love for their bodies and feelings.
