As sure as art is a portion of architecture, the drive to create murals runs deep in a local artist who is a native Ukrainian residing in the Newtown area.
Oleg Savytskyy (Олег Савицький) says he and his wife, Yuliia Shvets (Юлія Швець), came to the United States during the winter of 2021 to execute a business project in New York. "But then the war in Ukraine began. My native town was almost occupied, and I had no place to go back to, so I decided to help from here."
Oleg's mural works are a part of the fabric of Bushwick (Brooklyn), Great Neck (Long Island), Jamison (Pennsylvania) and of course, Ukraine.
"I began drawing from my early childhood, and my first murals were at the age of 13 years. I asked my school principal to draw and create on one of our school walls, and he agreed," recalls Oleg. "From this, everything started."
Oleg went on to complete a master's degree in art. He says he tried sculpting and classic art forms, such as canvases and oil paintings. As a creator in an overall sense, Oleg's second artistic passion was dedicated to architecture and design. For the last 18 years, he's worked as an architectural designer. During 2022, he earned a bachelor's degree in architecture.
"I like to mix different kinds of styles: photorealistic with expression. But every project I do is individual. Also, I have my noncommercial style, where I like to draw fantastic houses and creatures."
Oleg says he would like to create a new, public mural locally, or at least in Pennsylvania.
In comparing American mural styles to other cultures or locations in which Oleg's delivered paintings, he says: "Art in the US is very impressive with a multicultural background that is perfectly combined with the unique style of each artist. I'm inspired by a lot of pieces, from Wynwood (Miami) to Bushwik's Street and Philadelphia."
"Nowadays, I put effort into volunteering in Ukraine and supporting my friends and family there. And from every project, no matter what, I donate," says the artist who also adores dogs and snowboarding.
To commission Oleg for a personal mural project, email camomile91@gmail.com.
