New book spotlights 50 years of creative work by Anatole Kolomayets (05/21/06)

New book spotlights 50 years of creative work by Anatole Kolomayets

KYIV - A coffee table book featuring 50 years of creative work by Ukrainian American artist Anatole Kolomayets was published late last year by Sophia-A, an art books publishing house in Kyiv that has produced a series of books titled "Testimonies of Spirit," dedicated to Ukrainian artists beyond the borders of Ukraine.

The hard-cover 148-page monograph, simply titled "Anatole Kolomayets," contains more than 140 color reproductions of the artist's oil paintings. Though the book comprises works spanning five decades, it highlights works from his later career. All of the paintings are identified by title and size, tagged by their year of creation and to whose collection they belong, making this a wonderful keepsake gift for those who have followed the artist's evolution.

Released as a bilingual publication in both Ukrainian and English, the book features a number of articles, essays and reviews by the artist and his critics. The print run of 1,000 copies will be distributed in art libraries and museums in the United States, Canada, Europe and Ukraine, and is available for sale to individuals as well as in gift shops and bookstores.

In his opening essay, the late Mykola Marychevskyy, a prominent art critic and editor of art journals who died in October 2005, wrote: "The creative works of Anatole Kolomayets synthesize what he has acquired and what he has inherited. His artistic skills and sense of color are the generous gifts of his native land. And his training in Western Europe allowed him to hone his professional skills at the very heart of the movement toward modern art trends."

Mr. Kolomayets was born in the Poltava region of Ukraine in 1927. He studied at St. Luke's Institute (1948-1952) and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (1952-1953), both in Liege, Belgium, where he polished his professional skills, formed his own artistic preferences and made his personal discoveries in creativity.

After graduate studies, he immigrated to Chicago, which he has called home for more than half a century. Here he married Lubomyra Karawan and together they had two children, Marta and Andrew. The artist dedicates his book to his family.

More than 400 of the artist's works are in numerous private collections and galleries in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, France, Great Britain, the United States, Canada and Ukraine. Although most of his works are in oils, and this book is devoted to that medium, Mr. Kolomayets also works with watercolors and in pencil. He has had one-man shows in Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Washington, Philadelphia, Toronto, New York, Los Angeles and Denver.

He is planning to exhibit his art works in Ukraine in 2007.

In a lengthy review analyzing 50 years of Mr. Kolomayets' work, art critic Andriy Hurenko writes:

"If it is true that art is a reflection of the artist's nature, then the human qualities of Anatole Kolomayets are brilliantly shown in his canvases. Looking at the accumulation of more than half a century of creative work, it is possible to put together a portrait of the artist's personality. He is a man of principle who has the courage 'to always step out of the mainstream' (Bohdan Rubchak). He is reserved and, at the same time, his is a subtle, unimposing spiritual approach. He is a thorough and highly professional painter who is not prepared to distort his image for the sake of fashion. There is no spiritual stress or strain in him. He exploits neither horror, nor brutal violence, nor ostentatious subjects for the sake of easy popularity. The themes of his paintings reflect an established set of preferences and at the same time a sincere interest in life in all its forms and manifestations. Yet it is the human dimension that interests this artist most."

Mr. Kolomayets also spends time reflecting on his journey as an artist. The publication includes his remarks at the exhibit marking 50 years of his artistic work, which was held at the Ukrainian National Museum in Chicago in November 2003:

"The artist not only creates art, but also lives by what he creates. To bring out the best in human nature, we need more free time and we need to break up that time so that we can benefit from the achievements of the civilized world, to enrich our lives. Instead people just rush through life, never leaving their mark in this wonderful, boundless world.

"I remember it as if it happened today. It was a wonderful sunny day and the sun stood high in the sky as I walked out through the open doors of the academy, lightly holding two diplomas in my left hand. I looked up at the sun and thought: what's next? That was exactly 50 years ago."

The book is available for $25, plus $5 for shipping and handling from Anatole Kolomayets, 6819 N. Algonquin Ave., Chicago, IL 60646; telephone, 773-775-4547.

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