We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Maryna Kovalchuk a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Maryna, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on didn’t begin as a single artwork or event — it began as an inner realization.
For several years, I was deeply involved in building cultural projects for the Ukrainian community, creating spaces for connection during a time of war and displacement. While this work was meaningful, I eventually realized that in holding space for others, I was slowly losing space for myself as an artist. I was absorbing stories of loss and silence not intellectually, but physically.
That realization led me to my current series, “Scars”.
In this body of work, each painting begins whole and vibrant before I deliberately cut the canvas. I then stitch it back together by hand. The stitches do not hide the wound — they acknowledge it. This physical process allows me to speak about trauma and healing without explanation or illustration. The material itself carries the meaning.
Scars is connected to displacement, broken trust, and personal loss, but it is not about narrating pain. It is about allowing damage to exist without spectacle and recognizing healing as transformation, not erasure. This project marks a shift for me — from organizing experiences for others to creating something honest and deeply aligned with who I am now as an artist.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am Maryna Kovalchuk, a Ukrainian artist based in the United States, working with painting and hand-stitching.
My practice explores trauma, memory, and healing through physical interaction with the canvas, using color, texture, and stitched interventions as a visual language.
I grew up surrounded by creativity. My father and grandfather were both deeply connected to art and craftsmanship, and from an early age I learned to observe beauty in everyday life — in landscapes, textures, and moments with a family. This sensitivity shaped not only how I see the world, but how I respond to it through art.
I began my professional path very early, starting with illustration, small-scale paintings, and teaching art to children. Over time, my practice expanded to include murals, exhibitions, and large cultural and artistic projects.
After immigrating to the United States, I shifted much of my energy toward cultural organizing and preserving Ukrainian traditions within the community. While this work was important, painting remained my true center.
My current body of work, Scars, reflects a return to that core. Each painting begins whole and vibrant before I deliberately cut and then stitch the canvas by hand. The stitches do not hide the wound — they acknowledge it. Through this process, I explore resilience and transformation, allowing damage to exist as part of the story rather than something to be erased.
What sets my work apart is its physicality and emotional clarity. My paintings are not about spectacle or explanation; they are about presence, vulnerability, and lived experience. I create work that invites reflection and connection, offering viewers a space to recognize their own strength and tenderness within what has been broken and carefully restored.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

To think clearly and create something new, I rely deeply on physical and mental practices. Daily movement — long walks, yoga, and meditation — is essential for me. It gives me grounding, focus, and discipline, which I believe is one of the most important foundations for a sustainable artistic career. Creativity, for me, is not chaos — it grows out of consistency and presence.
When it comes to practical skills like time management, finances, and finding clients, I’ve learned a lot from YouTube channels where artists openly share their real-life experiences. I especially value the work of Brooke Cormier and Kelsey Rodriguez — listening to other women artists talk honestly about their paths helps me feel less isolated and more confident in my own decisions.
For inspiration, I watch many films about creators. They help me think wider and notice what often remains unseen. One film that deeply impacted me was “Marina Abramović: The Artist Is Present.” I was profoundly moved not only by her performance, but by the emotional transformation of the people involved in it. That experience helped me better understand the power of presence — and myself as an artist.
Among the books I’ve read recently, “Women Artists in Their Own Words” resonated strongly with me. I found many reflections there that align with my own worldview and artistic questions.
There is also a book that always stays on my desk because it offers steady encouragement: “In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs.” It’s filled with practical wisdom and emotional support from women who have built meaningful, creative lives.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I believe one of the most important ways society can support artists is by not being afraid to buy original art.
We live in a world of fast consumption and endless reproductions, but original artwork carries time, labor, emotion, and human presence. When people choose quality over mass production, they don’t just decorate a space — they invest in culture and in the future.
Buying original art is also an investment in long-term value. Art lives with us, grows in meaning over time, and often becomes part of family history. Supporting artists financially allows them to continue creating, experimenting, and taking risks — which is essential for a healthy creative ecosystem.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.saatchiart.com/marynakovalchuk
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marynakovalchuk.art
• Other: Interview for news channel: https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/nation-world/ukraine/ukrainian-artist-selling-artwork-in-jacksonville/

  https://marynakovalchuk.artfond.me/

Image Credits

Photo by Elizaveta Yakovleva and Irina Viznovich.