Hanna Sobachko-Shostak is a Ukrainian artist whose fantastical floral ornaments became a phenomenon in folk art and the avant-garde of the 20th century. Her work combined traditional motifs and modern...
Ukrainian folk art of the 20th century gave the world a whole galaxy of unique masters. Among them, a special place is occupied by Hanna Sobachko-Shostak — an artist whose fantastical floral ornaments became a phenomenon in decorative painting and textiles. She created a world where nature transformed into magical images, and ordinary plants were reborn in vibrant colors.
For the Hrushenka brand, her creativity became a source of inspiration for creating the "Char-Zillya" (Magic Potion) collection, where traditional motifs found new embodiment in modern clothing.
Hanna Fedosivna Sobachko-Shostak was born on December 15, 1883, in the village of Skoptsi (now Veselynivka, Kyiv Oblast) into a peasant family. Her education was limited to only two winter classes at a parish school, after which she worked at home: weaving, embroidering, and helping her parents with household chores.
From early childhood, Hanna felt a special connection with nature. She drew fantastical flowers, created her own ornaments, transforming everyday life into a magical world.
Her talent was discovered thanks to Anastasia Semyhradova, who provided the young artist with a room to work and introduced her to patron Yevhenia Prybilska. It was under their patronage that Sobachko-Shostak's works were exhibited in Kyiv, St. Petersburg, and later in Paris, Berlin, Dresden, and Munich.
Hanna Sobachko-Shostak worked in the genre of decorative painting, watercolor, and gouache. The basis of her style was fantastical flowers, leaves, birds, intertwined in dynamic rhythmic compositions.
She did not copy nature literally — on the contrary, she created flowers that did not exist, endowing them with symbolic meaning.
Her works were distinguished by a bright color palette, dominated by red, green, and blue hues.
The compositions were lively, dynamic, as if nature was breathing on the canvas.
It is no coincidence that art historians call her "the first lady of Ukrainian avant-garde" — as her works organically combined folk tradition with a modernist vision.
In 1936, Sobachko-Shostak was awarded the title of Master of Folk Art of the Ukrainian SSR. Her work influenced an entire generation of artists, including Maria Prymachenko, Tetyana Pata, Nadiia Bilokin.
Today, her works are preserved in the National Art Museum of Ukraine, in collections abroad, and exhibited. In 2023–2024, the "Eyes of Flowers" exhibition, dedicated to the 140th anniversary of the artist's birth, took place in Kyiv.
For our team, Hanna Sobachko-Shostak's work became a true inspiration. In the "Char-Zillya" collection, we aimed to preserve her magical motifs, transforming them into modern clothing.
In the embroidered shirts of the collection, you can see dynamic floral ornaments that refer to the artist's fantastical flowers.
Embroidered elements repeat the rhythms of nature — just as in her works, leaves and stems intertwine in whimsical compositions.
The colorful palette of fabrics refers to Sobachko-Shostak's rich colors, which always emphasized the life-giving power of nature.
Each item in the collection is a combination of history and modernity, an attempt to revive the legacy of Ukrainian avant-garde in today's fashion.
Hanna Sobachko-Shostak left behind not only paintings and ornaments but also an entire world where folk art acquires new resonance. Her work became a kind of "magic potion" that nourishes Ukrainian culture and inspires contemporary artists.
The Hrushenka "Char-Zillya" collection is our tribute to the great artist, an attempt to preserve her symbolism and convey her energy in modern embroidered shirts and dresses.
👉 View the collection via the link: "Char-Zillya. Hanna Sobachko-Shostak"
Your cart is currently empty.
Start Shopping
