"Oksana born in Ukraine is an amazing and rising artist/painter who took a risk to make her dream come true leaving home country to pursue her goals. She started from scratch to succeed. The success story of this young incredible artist shows that American dream still exist for those who have the courage to experiment new challenges, believe in them and work hard with dedication..."

"AlizeLavie Magazine", April 2013 Issue

http://www.magazinealizelavie.com

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Oksana Tanasiv (OKSI) is Ukrainian-American international contemporary artist. She experiments in realistic, surrealistic, and pop-art creating the art as collections by subject, style, and technique.

Oksana Tanasiv was born in Ternopil, Ukraine. Her passion for art was ignited as a young child when, while only four years old, she received her first paint brush from father. In the early 90's she had the opportunity to formerly develop her talent by attending art classes at the Chortkiv Pedagogical School. Oksana continued to develop art skills through years of practice and hard work. Although she dedicated her formative years to earning degrees in Psychology and Business at two Ukrainian institutes, she remained faithful to developing her artistic skills by painting whenever time allowed.

After moving to the United  States in 2004, Oksana overcame the challenges of being in a new country without speaking language and support. She managed her life between taking care of her few month old daughter and family, working a full-time job, and attending a college. All art from an early collection was created during night hours with a thought that one day her art will be recognized and appreciated by wide public.

In a few years Oksana Tanasiv mastered English language and  graduated from the University of Connecticut as a Bachelor of General Studies. The business education helps to market and manage her business as well as to build up an artist’s career. During the time of 2005-2012, Oksana developed a few collections: Faberge Art, Architectural Collection and Fashion Art. She used oil and acrylic on canvas. Also, she developed an individual technique of Swarovski® crystals to create the jewelries and dresses.  Soon, artist discovered a few other art techniques to transform the famous designers' creations into canvas art as, for example, oil stitching, as well as techniques with using beads, sequins, and fabric. In 2013 Oksana started work on Couture Art where she applies new materials; some of her pieces contain more than 10,000 Swarovski® crystals, beads, and fabric individually sewn or clued to canvas. Since 2012, Oksana Tanasiv is a featured artist of New York Fashion Week, presenting the Fashion and Couture Collections every season.

One of a few other biggest art series is Dollar Art where she expresses artistic thoughts about the social, political, and economical structure of world, showing the relation between people and money, and how banknotes can influence person's behavior and manipulate person's brain, what limitations and possibilities can be created because of money bills. Oksana’s conception of Dollar Art is in creation of a surreal world on canvas where the surrounding objects such as steps, chairs, umbrellas, doors, business suits, glasses, food, trees, people are made of dollar bills. The items are created to deliver a message, thought,  interconnection between  corruption and famine, ignorance and war, hardworking and achievement, abuse and protection, gender inequality, political manipulations, and economical issues. For this collection artist uses oil and her another discovered technique of dollar bills collage on canvas. Each canvas from the collection is finished by a few layers of epoxy that creates a protection and unique and vibrant colors of an each piece.

Today, Oksana Tanasiv is a well recognized contemporary artist with numerous exhibitions at World Art Trade Shows, Fashion Week NYC, art galleries of NYC and CT and with artwork sold to collectors worldwide.

 

 

Education:

1996 - Associate degree at Chortkiv Pedagogical School, Ukraine;

1999 - Bachelor degree at Ternopil State University, Psychology Major, Ukraine;

2003 - Bachelor degree at Ternopil State Academy of Economy, Major of Business Management, Ukraine;

2011 - Bachelor degree at University of Connecticut, Major of Business Communications, CT, U.S.A;