VOLODYMYR SHERSTIY
Honored Master of Folk Art of Ukraine, Icon Painter
VOLODYMYR SHERSTIY
Volodymyr Sherstiy was born on September 11, 1960, in the village of Hnylychky, Ternopil Region, Ukraine. From childhood, he was surrounded by icons painted by his grandfather, Stepan Zozulia, who had studied in Vienna. This family tradition and his early passion for art became the foundation of his artistic journey.
Volodymyr began his artistic education at the Pidvolochysk Art School and later studied art and decorative design. He acquired much of his professional knowledge of icon painting through independent study, exploring ancient Ukrainian and Byzantine iconographic traditions.
In the early 2000s, his artistic journey took him to South America. From 2000 to 2002, he worked as a restorer in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and later moved to Curitiba, Brazil, where he worked as an icon painter. It was in Brazil that one of his first solo exhibitions of icons took place. His artistic path received a special spiritual blessing from His Beatitude Lubomyr Husar, who visited his exhibition.
After returning to Ukraine, Volodymyr Sherstiy continued to work actively in icon painting. For more than 25 years, he has developed his own artistic style, drawing upon the traditions of ancient Ukrainian Byzantine-Ruthenian iconography while combining them with his personal artistic vision.
Material holds a special place in the artist’s work. In addition to traditional icon boards, he uses old wood—boards weathered by time and marked by natural aging. In some works, he uses boards from ammunition crates, transforming material associated with war into a foundation for images of prayer, remembrance, and hope for peace. Among his works are series connected with the history of Ukraine and the experience of contemporary war.
Volodymyr Sherstiy is the creator of more than one thousand icons. His works can be found in churches, museums, and private collections in Ukraine and other countries. His work has been presented in solo and group exhibitions in Ukraine, Brazil, and elsewhere. In 2014, he was awarded the title Honored Master of Folk Art of Ukraine. He is also a recipient of the Yaroslava Muzyka Regional Art Award.
Teaching is another important part of his artistic work. Volodymyr Sherstiy is the founder and mentor of an icon-painting school, where he passes on his knowledge of iconographic tradition, technique, and the spiritual significance of the icon to his students.
For Volodymyr Sherstiy, an icon is not merely a work of art. It is an image, a prayer, and a bridge between the human being and the spiritual world. Through his art, he seeks to preserve Ukraine’s cultural and spiritual heritage while expressing it through a contemporary artistic language.
Today, the artist continues to work in Ukraine, creating new icons, presenting exhibitions, and passing his knowledge and experience on to the next generation. His artistic journey connects Ukraine, South America, Europe, and the Ukrainian diaspora, and continues to unfold through new artistic projects.
Volodymyr began his artistic education at the Pidvolochysk Art School and later studied art and decorative design. He acquired much of his professional knowledge of icon painting through independent study, exploring ancient Ukrainian and Byzantine iconographic traditions.
In the early 2000s, his artistic journey took him to South America. From 2000 to 2002, he worked as a restorer in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and later moved to Curitiba, Brazil, where he worked as an icon painter. It was in Brazil that one of his first solo exhibitions of icons took place. His artistic path received a special spiritual blessing from His Beatitude Lubomyr Husar, who visited his exhibition.
After returning to Ukraine, Volodymyr Sherstiy continued to work actively in icon painting. For more than 25 years, he has developed his own artistic style, drawing upon the traditions of ancient Ukrainian Byzantine-Ruthenian iconography while combining them with his personal artistic vision.
Material holds a special place in the artist’s work. In addition to traditional icon boards, he uses old wood—boards weathered by time and marked by natural aging. In some works, he uses boards from ammunition crates, transforming material associated with war into a foundation for images of prayer, remembrance, and hope for peace. Among his works are series connected with the history of Ukraine and the experience of contemporary war.
Volodymyr Sherstiy is the creator of more than one thousand icons. His works can be found in churches, museums, and private collections in Ukraine and other countries. His work has been presented in solo and group exhibitions in Ukraine, Brazil, and elsewhere. In 2014, he was awarded the title Honored Master of Folk Art of Ukraine. He is also a recipient of the Yaroslava Muzyka Regional Art Award.
Teaching is another important part of his artistic work. Volodymyr Sherstiy is the founder and mentor of an icon-painting school, where he passes on his knowledge of iconographic tradition, technique, and the spiritual significance of the icon to his students.
For Volodymyr Sherstiy, an icon is not merely a work of art. It is an image, a prayer, and a bridge between the human being and the spiritual world. Through his art, he seeks to preserve Ukraine’s cultural and spiritual heritage while expressing it through a contemporary artistic language.
Today, the artist continues to work in Ukraine, creating new icons, presenting exhibitions, and passing his knowledge and experience on to the next generation. His artistic journey connects Ukraine, South America, Europe, and the Ukrainian diaspora, and continues to unfold through new artistic projects.