Maria Prymachenko – Folk Artist

Maria Prymachenko

Maria Prymachenko

“Once as a young girl, I was tending a gaggle of geese. When I got them to a sandy beach, on the bank of the river, after crossing a field dotted with wild flowers, I began to draw real and imaginiary flowers with a stick in the sand… Later, I decided to paint the walls of my house using natural pigments. After that I’ve never stopped drawing and painting.” – Maria Prymachenko

Maria Prymachenko (1908-1997), a Ukranian folk artist, has become a symbol of peace in Ukraine’s struggle against Russia. Born and bred in the village of Bolotnya, Maria was content to be a Ukranian peasant.  

When she was only a child, Maria was stricken with polio. The disease left an unusual after effect in the sensitive girl. Relatives report that Maria “grew a thoughtful and considerate person, having compassion for nature and every living thing.”