Anna Shkinder | Visual Artist
Hello, I'm Anna, a visual artist based in Lutsk, Ukraine.
My work explores the relationship between nature, memory and the emotional meaning we attach to objects. Right now I am completely absorbed in antiquity, in ancient Greek and Roman vessels, which I reinterpret through contemporary painting in my series VESSELS.
For me, a vessel is more than an archaeological object. It once held water, wine, offerings, flowers and everyday rituals, and so it carries traces of human presence. I imagine each one belonging to an unknown person and holding a story that has been lost to time. I paint these forms together with flowers, plants and imagined narratives, giving them new lives and new meanings.
I work with acrylic on natural cotton canvas, using diluted pigments that merge and flow across the surface almost on their own. This intuitive way of painting grew out of my earlier work, when I was drawn to flowing water, waves, sand and mountains, and to the tension between control and chance. Before painting, I worked with plaster and mixed media, creating textured interpretations of natural forms.
I like to think of each artwork as a contemporary talisman for the home: a quiet object associated with warmth, calm, protection, memory or wellbeing. I hope it will feel as though it has always belonged in your space.
I studied at the Lutsk State Art School and the Volyn College of Culture and Arts named after Ihor Stravinsky, and have developed my practice independently since. Alongside my studio work, I teach art and develop educational and creative projects.
Every piece is made by hand in my studio in Ukraine and sent to you with care.