VOVCHOK VASYL

Member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine (1995). Laureate of the International Ukrainian-Romanian Prize “Carpathian Crown” (2003). Laureate of the Regional Prize named after Y. Bokshai and A. Erdeli (2017): in the nomination “Painting” for the best traditional realistic work “Festive Uzhhorod”.

Vasyl Vovchok was born on 29 April 1959 in Nyzhnii Bystryi village, Transcarpathia. In their family, his grandfather had great abilities to painting, but he could not develop them. Since 1967, the boy left without a father, was brought up in the family of his uncle, a famous poet and prose writer Vasyl Vovchok (senior), who lived in Uzhhorod. Thanks to him, the future artist from 1968 to 1976 studied at the children's fine art studio of Honoured Teacher of Ukraine Zoltan Bakoniia. Since his childhood, Vasyl had the opportunity at the plein airs to observe how the outstanding artists of the region Zoltan Sholtes and Shandor Petki worked. In addition, the uncle taught the young man the basic things – the ability not to pass by the expressive details and the panoramic vision of the world.

After school, he studied at the art-graphic faculty of the Odessa State Pedagogical Institute named after K. Ushynskyi, which he graduated in 1980. His teachers were O. Lykholit and A. Vorokhta.

Upon completion of studies in Odesa, he returned to his native Transcarpathian region and got a job of a teacher at the school № 12 in Uzhhorod. Subsequently, after two years of military service, he devoted himself to painting – a work that the artist inextricably linked with teaching activity. At first, the artist teaches at the Mukachevo Art School, and since 1987 – at the Uzhhorod Children's Art School.

Famous colleagues Andrii Kotska, Pavlo Balla, and later Ernest Kontratovych contributed to the creative development of Vasyl Vovchok. Not only Transcarpathian artists but also the prominent representative of the “strict style” Pavlo Ossovskyi, who came from Kirovohrad region, influenced the formation of a picturesque vision of the artist. The author's artistic language develops within the limits of a certain system, where there is necessarily a colour tuning fork, from which on the heat-cold proportions the whole colour system of the canvas is built up.

The artist prefers realistic painting, inheriting and developing the traditions of the Transcarpathian School of painting. In his artistic works, the master uses a harmonious and coherent colour palette, balanced pictorial and plastic style, verified stylization and simplification. Numerous author's sceneries, urban and rural landscapes, portraits and narrative compositions radiate prudence and calmness, attract by their frankness, sincerity and impartiality of artistic vision.

The artist is co-author and compiler of the artistic album “Ernest Kontratovych”, which was published in the publishing house “Karpaty” in 2008. The author was connected by a long-term friendship with a talented artist who helped to take a deeper look into the Transcarpathian picturesque world.

Participant of collective regional (since 1980), all-Ukrainian (since 1989) and international (since 1995, Slovakia, Hungary, and Czech Republic) art exhibitions. His works were exhibited at several personal exhibitions. The artist is an active participant of the international plein airs (Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania). He works with special feeling and inspiration at the plein airs in the mountainous, picturesque area, where he comes from.

Vasyl Vovchok's paintings filled up the collections of Transcarpathian, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia art museums, as well as private collections of many countries of the world.

Based on materials from open sources.