From Chaos To Canvas: How A Spontaneous Art Journey Became An Unforgettable Adventure

Hi, I'm Oleksandra Malyshko, an artist from Ukraine, and I’d love to take you on a whirlwind journey that started with a single phone call and turned into an unforgettable artistic adventure.

Not long ago, some fellow artists reached out to me with an unexpected invitation: “Come join us at an art plein air in the city of Zhovti Vody!” I had almost no time to prepare—just thirty minutes to throw together my suitcases, grab my paints, brushes, and canvases, and make a mad dash for the train station.

Zhovti Vody is just two hours away from where I live, but getting out of my busy city and actually reaching the station? That turned out to be an adventure of its own. Traffic jams made it impossible—I missed the last bus and didn’t even make it to the bus terminal.

But I wasn’t giving up.

Back at home, I unpacked, repacked, and stripped everything down to the essentials. With determination fueling me, I finally set off again. This time, I made it. When I arrived in Zhovti Vody, I was warmly greeted by my colleagues from the National Union of Artists of Ukraine. They helped me carry my bags and escorted me to the hotel.

The next morning, I took a stroll through the springtime streets. The city was blooming—literally. Every little house had lilac bushes, gardens, and colorful flowers. It felt like a place where people truly care about beauty and harmony.

Then the plein air adventure began.

Each day, we explored different locations, capturing the landscapes on canvas. The most magical spot? A quarry—vast, majestic, and full of raw energy. It felt like nature itself had blessed that place with power and light. We even heard the distant cries of wild foxes, but strangely, we weren’t afraid. We were too inspired.

Another day brought us deep into the forest, where we lost our easels and canvases in the sandy trails while carrying our art supplies. And then there was the rain.

Oh, the rain.

It poured nonstop for hours. I layered myself in all the sweaters, T-shirts, and hoodies I had, topped it with a raincoat, and wrapped my canvases in plastic. Together with my fellow artists, we walked to a riverside park with small shelters and painted under the drizzling sky—until the weather turned even worse. No taxi wanted to brave the muddy roads, so we walked, soaked to the bone, until we found a spot where a car could finally pick us up.

And you know what? That rainy day was a dream come true. I had always imagined what it would feel like to paint in the rain—and now I know.

As the plein air came to an end, we prepared our artworks for an exhibition to share our interpretations of the local landscapes with the people of Zhovti Vody. It was a beautiful closing to a beautiful journey.

And if you’d like to see more of our artistic escapades (yes, including the rain!), I invite you to visit my Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/art_oleksandra_malyshko/

I’m always open to conversation and friendship—so feel free to drop by, say hello, and explore the world through my art!

More info: Instagram

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