OCA PEOPLE: OKSANA ZHUKOVA (SKY)

OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work.
Oksana Zhukova: I’m a poet, writer and artist. I was born in the South of Ukraine, now live in London (UK). I’m an Academician of the International Academy for the Development of Literature and Art, a member of the Advisory Council of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London), a representative of the Writers Union of North America. I write poetry and prose in three languages: Ukrainian, Russian and English, my poems have been translated into 17 languages. I have been awarded the titles “Global Poet”, “World Poet”, “Ambassador of Peace”. Participant of numerous international literary and art competitions. Winner of the literary competition “Open Eurasia” in London and the film festival in the category: documentary. I presented my paintings in museums, galleries, cultural centers and embassies of Great Britain, Australia, Spain and Ukraine, the paintings have been published in several Art Catalogues in London after my participation in major international exhibitions at the gallery on Tower Bridge.

OCA: How did you choose your path and who is your role model in the creative space or life?
OZ: I have been writing poetry since I was five, and in my school years I began writing prose while studying at the Small Academy of Sciences and was already winning creative competitions back then. Then I honed my mastery of the art of words at the university in the philological faculty, then I completed literature courses at the institute and completed my studies at the Kiev Institute of Television and Radio Broadcasting. My love for painting also arose during my school years, but I began actively painting and presenting my work at exhibitions when I worked on television as an author and host of my own program about art and culture. At that time, my work was influenced by the artists about whom I made my own TV programs. Now I receive a lot of knowledge and inspiration from the teachers at the University of the Arts in London, where I continue my education.

OCA: What is your main achievement in 2023-2024?
OZ: I am glad that I published the book “I Can Fly”, which includes my poems from the series “Poetic Illustrations”, short stories, novellas and a fragment of my “Tales of the Pink Lake”.
As an artist, I was very pleased to participate in prestigious exhibitions at the galleria near Tower Bridge in London and that my works were noticed by art critics and published in Catalogues in London: “Contemporary “ and “ Vogue “. Our book “Time of Hope”, which we created together with the artist Tommy Barr, was published and presented. It is nice that my poems written many years ago “To Mom”, “I Live on the Planet of Love” and “Clouds” were so loved by readers that they have already been translated into 17 languages. I presented them at numerous literary meetings and will publish each poem with translations as a separate book.

OCA: What is the main feature that makes you and your art/work unique?
OZ: I not only create poems and paintings, I also unite creative people in the name of peace throughout the world for more than ten years in my projects – the multilingual magazine “ArtMedia. Drawing with words” and the international project of public diplomacy “ArtMedia Tour”. This year I held them in London and the Caribbean. Twenty years ago I began writing poems for my paintings and for paintings of artists from different countries of the world and called this project “Poetic illustrations”. My stories are based on real events, but they are like a fairy tale, they are so unusual and unique, for example, my book “I can fly” describes a real episode from my life, it is so unusual that the editorial board of the Guinness Book of Records in Ukraine was even going to publish it as record in 2010.

OCA: Tell us, please, about the events or projects of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London) and projects that you have already taken part in and how does ECG influence your creativity and success in your work?
OZ: I have been a member of the Guild since its inception. I have participated in almost all festivals and am very grateful to have been recognized as the winner of the literary competition and the winner of the film festival in the documentary category.

OCA: What is your motivation and the main aim of your creativity?
OZ: I dream of a peaceful Planet, so all my creativity is aimed at ensuring that good triumphs over evil.

OCA: What would you wish for the members of the Guild and other creative people, just starting their career?
OZ: I wish everyone peace in the world and in each soul and may creativity help you achieve your dream.