Art has an amazing ability to awaken our deepest feelings, return us to childhood dreams, and remind us of what truly matters. In this in-depth interview, artist, educator, and active resident of the international platform Global Talent Confederation Olena Fedii shares her unique vision of a world full of beauty that many of us find difficult to notice in the daily hustle and bustle. She speaks about the deep symbolism of her new collection, the creative achievements of her third-grade students, daring art experiments with natural materials, and how—through her calling and love—she helps people "wake up," find their inner compass, and grow their own garden of fulfilled dreams.
Olena, last time you were just starting work on the "Light" collection, and recently your painting of the same name adorned the cover of a major exhibition in London. How did you feel at that moment, and how did this international success affect your perception of your own creativity?
Thank you for this interesting question! To be honest, I didn’t expect the founders of the exhibition to choose my painting for the poster. I only saw it when I brought my works to the exhibition. That feeling of love and joy simply cannot be put into words, because the story of the painting resonates in people’s hearts.
I really wanted viewers, looking at my work, to feel the light inside themselves—like a small piece of the Creator’s light, God, who lives in each of us. This is faith in goodness, faith in ourselves, and faith in creation. When I was painting this picture, I put the maximum amount of love and faith into it.
In your new paintings, alongside traditional floral motifs, unusual details often appear—soap bubbles and bright diagonal rays. What exact hidden meaning and symbolism do you put into these images?
My painting “Light” has its own story, legend, or fairytale. I believe that we create our own destiny through our own actions and thoughts.
Soap bubbles symbolize our dreams.
Rays (magic light) represent the light of the Creator that lives in each of us and helps us live and create.
Flowers blooming in our own field are our fulfilled dreams.
And each of us will have as many flowers in our field as the dreams we have brought to life through our hard work.
You often repeat that you learn a lot from your students, for example, not to be afraid of a mess and to experiment boldly. Have your own painting techniques or studio habits changed under the influence of children over the past year?
Yes, they have changed. I tried creating paintings using lavender from my own garden and I am experimenting with different textures. In addition, as a year-end gift from a teacher, I made magnets for my students featuring my own drawings—so that a piece of me remains with them forever.
How exactly did the idea of adding lavender from your own garden to paintings come about, and what other natural materials would you like to try?
The idea came naturally: I was simply working in the garden, and I have a lot of lavender growing at home. So I thought: what if I add fragrant lavender directly to the painting? It was very interesting to experiment. The painting is still intact today and has a wonderful aroma. I simply adore flowers and everything related to them.
When exhibition visitors come to see your new canvases, what specific emotions or thoughts do you strive to awaken in them first and foremost?
The exact same artwork can be viewed differently. For example, I have a new painting called “Love,” which depicts many hearts of various shapes and colors. I am very interested in asking viewers: “What do you see?” or “How many hearts do you see here?”.
The answers are always different. There were adults who didn’t notice a single heart at all, which came as a shock to me! But my children from the art club counted even more hearts than I had drawn. Everyone sees according to their level of creativity.
Your art is becoming increasingly popular abroad. Why do you think the concept of your "inner blooming garden" resonates so strongly in the hearts of people from completely different countries and cultures?
I think that regardless of culture, all people dream and try to create their own floral garden under different conditions and in different ways. Everyone wants to be happy. And by creating their own garden and seeing the result of their work, people become happier. Happiness lies in simple things.
Why, in your opinion, do adults fail to see hearts in the painting "Love," while children find even more than you painted?
In creativity and expressiveness, children, in my opinion, are better than adults. Children sincerely believe in miracles, while adults do not (well, some believe, and some do not). Remember the saying that an artist is someone who gives the opportunity to see?
You shared that you actively participate in exhibitions and get published in magazines primarily to inspire your third-grade students. How did the children and their parents react when they found out that their teacher's work became the face of a prestigious London exposition?
It was an incredible day with my Art Club! I planned an art trip to the library where the exhibition was taking place, together with the students of the school where I work. We viewed the paintings, I told the children the story behind each canvas, and after that, we held a masterclass where the children painted their own stories. It was an unforgettable day together with parents, students, and fellow teachers.
Creative trips with the class to London museums and gardens are your unique trademark, where children draw right on the floor. Have you managed to come up with any new interesting routes or art experiments for your students recently?
This year we visited the British Museum, Tate Modern, St. Albans, and Regent’s Park. And, of course, everywhere we drew with pencils right on the floor! Wherever I travel with my students, I always have pencils and clean paper with me—it’s the best way to rest and disconnect from the hectic pace of London.
We have created many joint projects. My students’ works were even published in collections and books such as Food Friends, Magnificent Monsters, and Oceans.
You have been an active member of the Global Talent Confederation for over a year. What has been the most important and valuable thing that has happened to you, your worldview, and your art during this time within this major international project?
I am growing and developing together with the confederation: creating new projects and meeting interesting, creative people.
The most special and valuable was the project for the auction. Artists sent their works to London, and the girls and I assembled a panel (mosaic wall piece), which was then sold at the auction, and the raised funds were directed to children in Ukraine. That was the most important thing. And the most unexpected thing was that right after the auction, I received a commission for a painting for an incredible family.
You mentioned this special painting after the auction. What kind of work is it, and what did you feel while creating a canvas for a specific home?
A German woman ordered a painting for her husband’s birthday. She wanted it to feature two horses: a black one—courageous, steadfast, and strong-willed, like her husband, and a white one—gentle yet strong at the same time. The task was not easy: to convey their true love, which holds our world together.
When the process was almost complete, the client came to me with her children to sign the painting. The children finished painting details and signed it together with me. I thought: “What a miracle we created!”. The feelings were twofold: on one hand—responsibility to ensure everything fit, and on the other—immense joy from the opportunity to give happiness.
Life between a school classroom, an art studio, and preparing for exhibitions requires incredible effort. Are there moments when it is still hard for you to maintain this pace, or have you already found your ideal recipe for balance?
To be honest, the ideal recipe is love. To love what you do and do everything with love. Then both time and energy will be found.
What major creative goal or global dream stands before you now that the "Light" collection has received such high acclaim and you have reached a new milestone as an artist?
I plan to submit my collection to the summer exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition). I dream of it being selected so that my “Light” can be seen by even more people around the world!
