Olena Kapovska

I am a professional icon painter with over 15 years of dedicated practice in traditional sacred art. Although I have been drawing since childhood, I began focusing exclusively on icon painting more than a decade ago and have since devoted myself to this discipline every day.

My works have been exhibited in various art shows, and today I continue to develop my practice independently, creating original hand-painted icons using ancient techniques and natural materials.

Each icon is created in accordance with traditional iconographic craftsmanship. I work on carefully prepared wooden panels with inserted crossbars, ark recess, pavoloka and levkas. I use egg tempera, gold leaf, engraving on gesso, enamel details, wood carving and, in some works, stone inlay. The gilding is applied over levkas and ornamentation is built through relief and engraving techniques. The reverse side of each icon is treated with a wax-resin compound to preserve the structure and natural pattern of the wood.

My work is rooted in discipline, silence, and respect for tradition. I create icons not as decorative objects, but as spaces of contemplation, presence and spiritual stillness.

Currently I sell only original works. In the future, limited editions may be ...

Academy of Arts, Kharkiv: Graphic Artist (Specialization: Book Illustration), 2004–2011.
Orthodox Seminary, Kharkiv: Specialization in Iconography, 2011–2015.