He was taught as a woodcarver and in this role came into the arts, however, he got his true recognition as a painter. The artist's studio is surprisingly neat and cosy. Moreover, his home, yard and the entire household have the same look. It is obvious that this neatness and orderliness is a hallmark of character and creative style of the artist, who is very hospitable, friendly and an interesting companion as well.

The artist works in the technique of tempera and oil easel painting. He is known primarily as the author of the multi-figure narrative compositions, from which one can learn the geography and ethnography of Transcarpathia. Looking at his paintings, you immerse in the beautiful world of the Carpathians and valleys for a long time, becoming an unwitting participant of people's life, work, traditional ceremonies and festivals. Dozens characters of picturesque scenes of the master are painted with true authenticity with no accidental or impersonal figures. Everything depicted in the paintings of the artist lives its own real life! Most of the characters, architectural monuments, landscape and narrative compositions are not fictional. The artist travels a lot around Transcarpathia and everything, in which he becomes interested, the master depicts on paper with a pencil. Drawing sketches, he talks to people a lot, watches their daily life, notes a variety of situations and scenes. Consequently, in the filigree Bruegel’s manner he represents everything in his paintings. Even a few cockerels living in the household of the artist became heroes of the colourful series of paintings “Hazda”. Being deeply in love with his native land and its people, the People's Artist Taras Danylych keeps on his creative work, while, along with painting, he is engaged in decoration of the iconostasis of the local church.

Text: Oleksandr Nikitchuk
Photo: Oksana Yurchenko