For Olena Hulaia's, creativity has always been a part of life — whether it was fashion design or doll making. But it was only two years ago, upon picking up a brush, that she found her deepest means of self-expression. We speak with the artist about her rapid start, her unexpected success in her first competition, and how her works, filled with sincerity and a love for simple things, become a reflection of her inner state and a source of inspiration for others.
Please tell us about how you started your creative journey? How did you feel the necessity to engage in art? What inspired you?
My most vivid childhood memories are of me drawing. Gouache, watercolor, pencils. Landscapes at home and in my sketchbook, a desk and a pencil during lessons, and chalk and charcoal on the backyard fence.
After moving to Germany, I spent the first year doing embroidery. It was calming and helped me distract myself from the bad news. I was embroidering flowers, and at some point, I felt the urge to paint them. This thought stuck in my head and kept bothering me for two or three months. So, I bought paints. That’s how painting came into my life like a breath of fresh air. It really helps me cope with stress and anxiety and distracts me from the bad news.
Please describe the moment when you realized that painting was not just a hobby, but a new, yet profoundly familiar language for communicating with the world.
This has definitely influenced my life. It has changed my future plans. Before the competition, I was considering training for a new profession and integrating, and I was looking for a job where I could realize my creative potential. But there was no certainty about tomorrow. And now, what started as a hobby has given me not only a chance for self-expression but also the opportunity to make this my life’s goal—to build a career as an artist.
Your creative path included fashion design and creating unique dolls. Tell us, how did your experience in fashion design shape your vision of form, color, and composition?
For me, the most important things in fashion design are simplicity, comfort, and minimalism. The combination of color, shades, textures, decoration, and form—everything matters. It’s an endless creative process, always with new ideas and unlimited possibilities. The experience of sewing costumes for children’s matinees was especially interesting. That’s where your imagination truly becomes reality.
You used to create art dolls, each of which had its own character and story. How did this ability to breathe life and a unique inner world into characters influence your perception of the world and creativity in general?
Doll-making is probably the most complex and most unpredictable process. You assemble an image from scraps of fabric, but the final result is always a surprise. Creating a doll develops your creative potential and helps with concentration. It also impacts your daily routine, helping you become more organized and plan all your tasks.
You have another passion—photography. How does this experience help you as an artist?
One of my passions is photography. To capture a moment is to preserve an emotion and a mood in a photo. For an artist, this is an important and invaluable experience. You learn to see light, shadow, choose the right angle, and not miss the moment. I think it’s because of this that I have such a good perception of color. On the canvas, I instantly see if a color works or not, and how harmonious the whole picture looks.
You mentioned that your work was accepted into your first competition just a year and a half after you started. What emotions did you experience then, and what did that mean to you?
It was my first competition. It was my first attempt, so I had no expectations. When the results were published, I didn’t see my name at first, and I thought, “Well, never mind, I’ll try again.” Then I opened the winners’ table and couldn’t believe my eyes: my work had won 3rd place. And two other works—each won 3rd place as well. It was incredibly exciting and very motivating.
You strive to find a single emotion in every work that can hold the viewer's gaze. How do you find it, and how do you convey it on the canvas?
Each painting has become a reflection of my inner state. The idea for every piece is a moment from life—a moment that stays in my memory forever, and now I can paint it on canvas. I love flowers; they are all beautiful, and each one evokes a storm of emotions: scent, color, texture, structure. Every one has its own character. From the delicate and airy Cherry Blossom to the fiery passion of Red Poppies. And when I’m working on a painting, it’s not just about the paints; it’s about feelings and emotions, about being completely immersed in the process.
How is your belief in sincerity, inner freedom, and the ability to notice beauty in simple things reflected in your paintings?
For me, sincerity is the ability to remain authentic, to allow myself to express my feelings not only when communicating with other people but also through my work.
How do you transform moments from life into a painting? Tell us about the process—from the initial idea to the final brushstroke.
The idea for my next painting appears long before the process even starts. I see flowers on the street and I remember the emotion—what I felt. That’s when the desire to paint emerges. I think through the entire process. The start of the work is always a light, quick sketch that helps me determine the color palette, the overall plan, and the compositional structure. After that comes the creative immersion, and even though I have a rough idea of what the outcome should be, the result always surprises me. The end is always a surprise.
You believe that creativity can change people's inner worlds for the better. Is there a story where your work has influenced someone in exactly this way?
Any creative process is self-development. When I work on a project, I concentrate all my attention. I think through every step; if I don’t like something, I fix it. This develops imagination, perseverance, and is calming. Over time, you start to realize that every mistake is just another lesson. This is reflected in everything. You start to approach everything calmly; you analyze before you react. Life is also a creative process. It’s important to understand that there are no mistakes, only experience. And because of that, you change for the better.
Do you have a favorite creative work or activity out of all your passions? And what makes it the most valuable to you?
My favorite work is sewing clothes; it’s the only thing I’ve always done with pleasure. I loved it, especially when a satisfied client picked up the finished item. That is what inspires me.
How do you envision your creative path? What are your creative plans for the upcoming year?
I have many ideas and the desire to bring them to life and see the final result. I would like to participate in exhibitions, enter new competitions, and, of course, sell my art.
What advice would you give to people who are just starting their creative journey, especially those who might not have felt like a creative person before?
Don’t be afraid to try. Don’t stop, even if you don’t succeed right away. No one gets it right on the first attempt. For the first six months, I corrected things constantly, and I viewed every mistake as just another lesson. This is also a crucial part of creative development. Try different types of creative work. Today, we have a huge selection of materials, and the internet, where you can look up various ideas and observe other masters at work. Every experiment you make is a valuable experience.
