New Cities, New Life – Tetiana Ocheredko – Ukraine

Sketch 24. Gdansk, str. Wajdeloty,” colored paper, ink, gouache, pencil, 35×50 cm, 2024.

My name is Tetiana Ocheredko. I am a member of Urban Sketching Poland and Urban Sketching Gdansk. I am an artist, animator, and illustrator from Kyiv, Ukraine. In 2022, I had to immigrate to Poland after the war began in Ukraine, leaving behind everything dear to me. This change affected my ability to create, and for a long time, I couldn’t draw or work on new projects.

However, thanks to the warm support of the wonderful members of the Urban Sketching Gdansk group and their almost weekly meetings, I gradually, step by step, returned to drawing. This became not only a chance to pick up the brush again but also a way to discover new cities and the country that has become my second home.

My work reflects the places where I now live, the places I visit, as well as my emotions and mood. I often use simple materials like ink, pencil, oil pastels, gouache, or acrylic, which allow me to quickly capture the atmosphere of the moment.

Some of my works:

1. “Sketch 18. Gdynia Orlowo,” colored paper, ink, oil pastels, 30×42 cm, 2024
2. “Sketch 4. Wisloujscie Fortress,” colored paper, ink, marker, 30×42 cm, 2024
3. “Sketch 14. The World of Taste,” colored paper, gouache, ink, 35×50 cm, 2024
4. “Sketch 25. Sopot, str. Jana Sobieskiego,” colored paper, ink, gouache, pencil, 35×50 cm, 2024

This year, I attended the Urban Sketching Festival in Swidnica for the first time, which was a significant event for me. I created several new works there:

6. “Sketch 35. Swidnica. Altana,” colored paper, ink, acrylic, pencil, 30×42 cm, 2024

You can see more of my sketches here:

https://www.instagram.com/tetiana_ocheredko_art/