'Not just a thing, but a piece of heart': how Ukrainian women create handmade gifts in the USA

Increasingly, Americans are encouraged to buy gifts not from large retail chains, but to support small shops or craftsmen who make original souvenirs on their own. And what products of Ukrainian craftsmen are in demand in the USA? Tells Voice of America.

Photo: Shutterstock

Lviv resident Sofia Ogorodnik produces elegant ladies' hats to order. She has lived with her family in Silicon Valley for six years. She is engaged in pysankar making, gives master classes and teaches children's creativity classes. However, home quarantine and lockdown forced the cancellation of classes. Therefore, the artist began making hats for sale and for rent - for photo shoots or events.

“Even under quarantine, the weather in California is very conducive to outdoor parties in parks, which are completely permitted,” says the artist. “And this was one of the events for which I made a large number of hats at the same time - a baby-shower, which is very popular here. It was held in the theme of the English tea party, and all the girls, young women, could use such a small accessory.”

Ogorodnik says that the culture of wearing hats was very common in Ukrainian cities a few years ago, but has now fallen into decline, but in vain: “This is a small detail that suits absolutely everyone, with any item of clothing, including jeans. And it can emphasize, it is interesting to show the person who wears it.”

In order to know more about Ukrainian artists, Oksana Izbyanskaya from Ternopil launched a new UAartsy platform in August. Oksana has been living near New York for 15 years. She is a marketer by education, she paints pictures herself. Having learned to sell her own works, I decided to help other Ukrainians in this.

“Especially when the holidays come, we all want something homemade, our own, dear,” explains the artist. — Pottery and goods with embroidery predominate: pillows, aprons, items decorated with Petrykivka painting. By the way, they are also popular among Americans.”

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Izbyanskaya says that she works very closely with craftsmen, conducting trainings for them on pricing and promotion: “We are now, like a family, calling each other and saying: I sold this, and I sold that. And that’s how we communicate.”

Photo: video frame "Voices of America"

But Ivanna Kishchuk from Ivano-Frankivsk, who has lived in Chicago for eight years, offers to treat herself to handmade sweets for the winter holidays. She produces sweet bouquets and gift boxes with chocolate covered strawberries. Ivanna has been combining this hobby with raising two children for two years. She most often receives orders for family holidays and parties, and at Christmas she often produces themed sweet sets.

“They order in red and green colors, some snowflakes, because it is associated with Christmas, coconut flakes like snow, some stars. They also order for birthdays - everything is individual here. If they want a marine theme, then it’s something blue, if for a princess, it’s pink,” explains Kishchuk.

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She assures that she washes all the strawberries very carefully and generally approaches the preparation of orders the same way she does it for her family: “I choose strawberries a day in advance or on the same day, since they must be fresh, firm, and not bruised, otherwise the chocolate will just slide off, it won’t be glossy or beautiful.”

Photo: video frame "Voices of America"

No matter what kind of handmade item - a hat, beads or chocolate-covered strawberries - people choose, it all brings incredible sensations to those who made it themselves.

“For example, there are mothers who stay at home with their children. And because of Covid, many people are experiencing depression. And when you buy something from them, you simply give wings to this person. I was told about one woman who said: “When I sit at home, I always look at who bought my products. I’m ready to sell them for even a dollar just so that my item will bring happiness to someone,” says Izbyanskaya.

She explains: “You think you're just buying a thing. And you, purchasing this thing from a person, receive a piece of his heart, and make him so happy that you can’t even imagine.”

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