Uncategorized Archives - Helen Polishuk Blog

St.Andrew by-the-lake

May 27, 2025May 27, 2025 Helen Polishuk Leave a comment

Yes, today I will tell you about my journey and acquaintance with the church, which is the oldest church on Toronto Island, this is St. Andrew’s Anglican Church.

The church was built in 1884 and existed in the central part of the island, on the main Lakeshore street.

Several decades ago the church was moved to this place where it stands today. There is a beautiful park growing around it, a boat stop and a hiking trail nearby.

On May 24 and 25, the church is open to all visitors during the Door Open Toronto.
This is a great opportunity for all Toronto residents and beyond. Residents of Quebec and groups of tourists who visit the island come here and get to know the church with interest. #DOT #DOT2025

The service that is active this year – bike rental – is also very helpful to go around the island.

At the entrance to the church there are stands that tell about the history of the church and the times and seasons that took place near the church. In winter, it was skiing, skating on frozen water. In summer, it was cycling activities, which do not stop today.

Life on the island is not easy. There have been floods and natural disasters.
But today it remains in photographs. Today a school has been built on the island, there is a water collection station equipped with the highest quality filters. But there are no shops on the island, all products are bought and brought from the mainland. Therefore, local residents have developed their own farms here, where they bake delicious bread and pastries.
I treated myself to a delicious kich, which was baked for the guests of the church.

The church preserves a history that almost coincides in time with the history of Canada itself.
And this is reflected in the beautiful stained glass windows of the church.
I have only seen stained glass windows like this in a church St.Georgeis on-the-Hill Anglican Church in Etobicoke on Dundas.

Both churches are beautiful and the stained glass windows are simply a delight. And most importantly, they contain the history of the churches themselves. I will try to tell you about the stained glass windows of St. Andrew’s by-the-lake Church.

The main ones, located at the head of the church, behind the altar, tell of St. Andrew’s patronage of fishermen.

It speaks of the hard, harsh life of the islanders in the struggle with the water element and the help and blessing from Saint Andrew.

The side stained glass windows are created in memory of events and people.
Thus, at the entrance on the left there are two beautiful stained glass windows that remind us that faith and help are very important for society and the survival of the commune.

This stained glass window depicts Christ blessing the children and was created by McCausland Studio in 1923.

This is a memory about Harry Ryrie( 1862-1917) who had a summer home on the Island at 398 Lakeshore,a few doors from the church before it was moved.The Ryrie’s family also donated 50 park benches at Centre Island.

This thrilight window showing Christ praying in the garden of Gethsemane,flanked by

two angels.This window was donated by Robert and Emy Spence.

This is a memory of the island’s inhabitants who died during the First World War. 58 island inhabitants gave their lives as soldiers and participating in the First World War.At the bottom of the stained glass window you can see a Red Cross nurse caring for a wounded soldier.

On the right, at the entrance to the church, on a gilded plaque are carved the names of those who died in the First World War for the Queen, for Canada.

WEEKLY SUNDAY SERVICE
10:30 am

ALL ARE WELCOME!

Travel to the island

May 27, 2025May 27, 2025 Helen Polishuk Leave a comment

Every city that is located on a large body of water, on the ocean, on a lake or river, has islands near it.
Historically, or it is the help of nature, I do not know, but in our life it is always a very interesting addition to the existence of the city itself.
To say that the island and the city are interconnected – no. They exist independently of each other and their presence only adds zest to the existence of the city itself.
To go out for a day, or for a few hours, or for a day with an overnight stay – it is pleasant, interesting and a certain experience.
Toronto Island is several islands that are connected by this name. There are bridges and connections between them. There is a domestic Toronto airport on this island. Therefore, you can always see how planes land on the island. It is especially interesting to watch in cloudy weather, when clouds cover visibility above the fifth floor and you can see how suddenly an airplane takes off from dark clouds and slowly lands on the island. All houses with a view of the lake in the central part of Toronto have such a pleasure.
But I’ll start everything in order, namely along the route that I’ll share today.

Of course, I will comment on everything that I liked along the way. So, I got on the subway at Bathurst St.Whether it’s my love for murals or classicism with baroque, I was struck and liked this mural opposite the enter on the subway.

I took the 510 streetcar to Spadina and rode along the street, enjoying the morning city. Few people talk about the day off. And it helps me to look at the drawings on the walls of the houses and admire the old and new buildings.

Tim Hortons is open as always and it’s impossible to resist its smell.

Well, that’s understandable. With the onset of warm weather, the city begins to undergo repairs and is all in traffic jams, congestion and repair scaffolding.

How old houses with aluminum high-rises are structured is visible in this video. There is a mixture of cultures, styles and times.

The presence of the CNTower on the horizon indicates that we are in the city center and approaching the embankment.

I got out on the embankment and calmly walked to the meeting place, to the entrance to the pier.

The meeting was scheduled near the statue of Jack Layton near Jack Layton Ferry Terminal.

Jack Gilbert Layton was a Canadian academic and polistican who served as a Leader of the New Democratic Party from 2003 to 2011.

Bronze sculpture of Jack Layton was unveilled in 2013 at Toronto island ferry terminal.

Symbolizm of this bike:,,Together you support each other,just like a community.”

Layton on the back seat of tandem bicycle,much like one he rode with his family,with the front seat open for people to hop on and take pictures.

My route went from the farry station to the island.

I will immediately note that despite the early hour and the day off, there were a lot of people near the pier. People gathered in families and groups. Many moved with fishing gear and their own bicycles. The weather did not promise to be either warm or sunny. Cold, constant, strong, gusty rain.

Having bought a ticket, you find yourself waiting for the ferry to arrive and, having gathered with the passengers, you simply wait until you can take a seat on the ferry. Seats are on a first come, first served basis. But there are a lot of seats, some on top to watch and take photos and some inside the ferry. There is always enough space for everyone.

You can spend a whole day on the island. And although it is small, there are many interesting entertainments, many parks and attractions, specially organized places for children, where there is a small zoo, a cable car and even a railway. And all this together is very interesting and attractive.

There are many recreation areas on the island, there are tables and there are playgrounds where you can relax and sit with family and friends, there are cafes and restaurants.

Well, and the number of flowers, beautiful parks and blossoming trees, I just keep quiet, because in spring everything comes to life and this range of floral delight simply envelops. This year, for the first time on the island, there is such a service that you can rent a bike and ride from one side of the island to the other, walk in the most interesting places. Everywhere there are devices to put the bike and go have a coffee.

It gives me great pleasure to see beautiful tulips.

So, the ferry arrived, the doors opened and everyone waiting went to take their seats. I climbed onto the deck, I wanted, like many others, to photograph the view of the city from the ferry.

There were many ferries nearby. They go to the island strictly according to the hours and schedule. One comes, another goes to the island.

You can sit on the deck and calmly watch the waves gently rock the ferry. Perhaps in winter or during a strong storm, the waves are high. But today the weather is very spring-like and the trip from morning to evening will be eventful.

So, we unmoored, the horn blew and the ferry slowly went along the water.
The distance between the Toronto shore and the island is small, it takes 15-20 minutes.
The island became an island not very long ago.
It was part of a sand dune on the Scarborough Banff side. But then it washed away and the island separated and began to live its own life.

From the ferry station there are three directions of piers on the island.
There are a huge number of taxis that take you for 13 dollars one way.
The ferry costs 10 dollars round trip.

This is a wonderful photo, a beautiful view, because of which this trip happened.
View of Toronto from the ferry that goes to Toronto Island.
About what I saw and where I visited on the island in the next post.

I want to remind you that there is still a sale of my paintings and you can take advantage of the biggest discount of 20% off use code SUNBEAM20

https://www.saatchiart.com/en-ca/helenpolishuk

Traffic Light

May 26, 2025May 26, 2025 Helen Polishuk Leave a comment

Can you imagine that in our city life the most important object in behavior on the street, in safety and correct presence on the street of such a big city as Toronto, is a traffic light.

It does not allow you to stroll carefree along the fastest highways, it stops you, makes you wait, let cars pass politely and then carefully lights up the green light so that you can calmly cross the road. Do not rush. No need to rush, because the computer has calculated for you how much time you need so that you can calmly cross the road. Do not take risks. In the last minutes, when there are 2-3 seconds left, you are unlikely to have time to run, and angry drivers do not want to give in to their time and the law and jump out in the first seconds of their traffic.

And not late, looking at large skyscrapers and various passers-by. Be vigilant and collected.
This is the most important law of life in a huge megacity every day. Going out into the street in the morning and ending with evening walks.
No matter how we miss it, but everything in a big city is collected in one big digital regime movement. It is interesting to watch this when you think about it. Here on the right at the traffic light, pedestrian traffic has started. The red color appeared. The cars started moving. Here the cars stopped. Pedestrians are crossing the street in front of you.
Red again. The cars started moving. Here the green light came on to your left and pedestrians are walking towards you. Stop.
The cars started moving. Again the traffic stopped.
Here the red light changed to green and the road opened for me.
I can go. I am crossing the road.
Sometimes this rhythm is like music. Through it, somewhere, the sound of a disgruntled driver pops out, pushing a passerby to quickly cross the road and stand on the sidewalk.
Sometimes the rhythm is interrupted by the signals of firefighters or an ambulance or a policeman.
Sometimes the traffic light stops working and then a policeman saves it, who stands in the middle of the road and regulates traffic.
But this is very rare.
More often, workers arrive, fence off part of the road, restrict traffic and clean, repair or clean up.
Life of a Toronto street.
I was able to convey this rhythm in my new painting, which is exhibited on my website :

https://www.saatchiart.com/en-ca/helenpolishuk

The painting is small, but very dear to me, as it continues the theme of city life. And it is called, “Traffic Light”.

https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-Traffic-Light/970132/12657685/view

This picture in miniature collects the minutes before the car starts moving in a big city.
Now it’s red. Then the green will open and the cars will go.
The city of Toronto is big and beautiful. The city traffic is complicated, there are many traffic jams and repairs.
And the most important regulator of street life in the city remains the traffic light

20 % off use code SUNBEAM20 up to May 29,2025

https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-Traffic-Light/970132/12657685/view

My Dream

May 21, 2025May 26, 2025 Helen Polishuk Leave a comment

Today is my post of gratitude.
This is for you, my fans and admirers.
This is for all lovers of art in any form.
In my opinion, art is divided into commercial and non-commercial (uncompromising). No matter how rude it may sound, but it is the second that is most valuable. And the first – commercial – is doomed to perish and at some moments to enmity and war.
So here is my gratitude to you, my dear connoisseurs of the beautiful – in music, art, poetry and life.
I thank everyone who fills their life with the beautiful with the first sunny morning light, with relaxation after a hard day at work, with diving into the abyss of relaxation on vacation – thank you.
After all, in essence, life should not be bitter, scary, unhappy.
After all, we, born of screaming and pain, strive all our lives to find happiness, peace and love in it.
Thank you.
I see everything that surrounds us as beautiful.
I try to create everything that is in my hands with love.
And you feel it.
The smile in my eyes will not fade, no matter how time destroys me, no matter how the years take their toll, no matter how old age approaches…
Thank you…
In the world of art, I have risen to the step of the creator. This is the highest step, where I can easily imagine what I need to create and find the time to gather strength and implement what I have conceived.
Thank you.

Today I will present to you my most precious work.

A turning point in my life. I refused to do many things that I had done before. I stopped working in the film industry, retrained as a screenwriter and still did not understand at all what and how to do. I was left without a livelihood, but I really wanted to narrow the field of activity and do only art. This is how Helen Polischuk was created,my production and a new stage of life began. A lot of study, attempts, orientation, skills, experience. During difficulties, I often created paintings and drew. It helped, distracted and I learned to train myself. Now a lot is behind me, my third children’s book is already published, production is working and beautiful pictures are being created both in the Petrekivka style and in various other styles. In 2017, a whole collection of my, I dare say, masterpieces was released. One of them was later exhibited at many exhibitions, had great success, for it I received the title of Best Artist of Ukraine in 2022. I will present this painting to you today.

Tell me, my wonderful colleagues, can you repeat your most chenial paintings?

Understood.
But the copyists can.
They can copy))…that’s their skill. They can also copy Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa”, Van Gogh and Rembrandt.

I created this painting in 2017 and called it, “My Dream”
What’s special about it?
Well, I was creating a portrait and, as is typical for me, with humor and novelty, I showed how many thoughts and dreams I have.
Of course, I can’t repeat this anymore.
But someone will try someday))

I’ll go back to the beginning of my post and thank everyone who read it to the end and whom I interested in art even more.
Thank you

Remember,this painting with others now on sale in

https://www.saatchiart.com/en-ca/helenpolishuk

use code SUNBEAM20

Most viewed

May 20, 2025May 26, 2025 Helen Polishuk Leave a comment

Today I will tell you about the most viewed and beloved painting of those put up for sale on the site today www.saatchiart.com/helenpolishuk

This painting is called “Church” and was created by me in 2019.
It is on canvas, acrylic and covered with varnish from changes under the influence of light.
My signature is at the bottom right.
The painting is dear to me, like everything I create.
It is a composite image of churches, to which we go for purification and renewal, where we find consolation and love.
If we recall my favorite green city Kyiv, then the image of the church is St. Andrew’s, which stands at the top of the rise of St. Andrew’s descent, which connects Podil with the city center.
But the most dear to me is St. Sophia’s Church, which is the Mother of all churches in Kyiv and includes value, greatness and our heritage.
As a Christian, reminders and symbols of the church are dear for me. Christians honor the scriptures and think about Peace, Faith and Love.
This painting is part of a collection of urban paintings that I have been creating throughout my career.
If we take my early work, which dates back to the 90s, there is a picture painted in black and white, repeating the graphics in oil paints.

In those distant years, in my youth, it was painful and bitter for me to watch how our churches in many places were destroyed and forgotten. That picture – the roof of the church is tilted, plants are growing on it, the building is destroyed and only the cross reminds of the significance of this building.
The picture is in the collection in my home.
Today, time has passed and I am pleased to see the changes. My eye is pleased that young people honor the traditions of their ancestors, that our churches are rich in parishioners during the hours of celebrating holidays, they honor traditions and rituals.
I am glad that my picture today is recognized among the entire collection by the greatest number of views and likes.
It is very touching for me that my work is in a modern rhythm and is popular.
I want to remind you of an important event.
On my Saatchi online gallery page there is a spring sale and a 20% discount on all my paintings.Use code SUNBEAM20.

https://www.saatchiart.com/en-ca/helenpolishuk

This is the biggest discount, this is a current event. You can place an order and buy one of your favorite paintings for 10 days.
Each of them has its own story.
Among the paintings there are recognized ones, having prizes and having been in many competitions and exhibitions.
Each painting, as an original copy, has my signature in the lower right corner with the date of creation of the painting.
It is especially interesting to buy a large painting, where you will feel the effect of the discount.
I am grateful to everyone for the interest in my work.

I invite you to the amazing and unique world of my creativity and my ideas.

Only from May 19 to May 29, a unique opportunity to purchase a painting from the collection for a 20% discount.Code SINBEAM20

Black Monday

May 19, 2025May 26, 2025 Helen Polishuk Leave a comment

Black Monday
Great news for collectors and art lovers.
Only 10 days, starting today, Monday, May 19, 2025 and the next ten days until May 29, 2025, an incredible promotion from Saatchi Gallery – 20% discount on all paintings in my collection. Use code SUNBEAM20.

https://www.saatchiart.com/en-ca/helenpolishuk

These are original paintings that have my authenticity and signature and are an invaluable asset to collectors around the world.
For 10 days, you can choose and buy any of the paintings for your collection.
There are portraits and I will focus on one of them and tell you in more detail today about the phenomenal similarity of the painting with ..? Read on.
There are landscapes, of this year’s landscapes, only one winter landscape remains, which is made with acrylic on canvas.
Between the huge paintings, there is a beautiful painting that will enliven any salon – flowers. The composition is made with a mix techniques on canvas and dazzles with the brightness and warmth of the colors.
There are city’s landscapes, where each of the paintings is very dear to me – the Traffic Light is everyday Toronto, the Church is summer, bright and very expensive Kyiv, a piece of architecture of an Arab city and a Gothic unique spring Dutch city.
That it.?! No, take a look and you will understand everything yourself.
Only online.

And about one portrait…..
The story of one painting from the list submitted for the action.
This is one of five paintings that I created in 2017, which is already distant for me, and it remains the only one. For obvious reasons, I did not put my son’s portrait up for sale, but this portrait – for some reason a lot of people looked at it and quietly left it aside.
Somehow it reminded them of someone and they just walked around it.

Hmm..
The events of the war in Ukraine reminded me – half a face of whom it reminds. But when I created it, there was no specific person in front of me, just a creative image.
I never thought that half a face would appear in such a portrait.
I don’t even need half a face.

It’s interesting that people carefully avoid it. And it’s clear for what reasons.
An interesting moment in history.

Everything that was.

Everything that will be and we are now in this moment.
I’m not commenting. I’m just telling you what is usual for an artist and asking for your permission to have an opinion

20 % off use SUNBEAM20

May 19, 2025May 26, 2025 Helen Polishuk Leave a comment

From May 19,2025 to May 29,2025

20% off all original art

https://www.saatchiart.com/en-ca/helenpolishuk

Helen Polishuk

SPRING

April 26, 2025May 26, 2025 Helen Polishuk

Why does April end so quickly?
Who can answer this question?
Maybe time has been sped up and it has become faster?
Maybe there are a lot of things to do and they make the day go by faster?
Maybe you are just lazy?
All together – it is spring.
What will you do to enjoy the fresh gust of wind that brings spring and beauty?
What will you do to change the usual atmosphere for new activities and meetings?
What will you do to stop everything and do your most beloved and dear – creativity?
Spring.
Every day of April was different.
The sun will jump out and happy people, undressing, will start meeting in the awakened city.
Then the wind will blow and everyone will hide in their houses again.
And the trees are still bare – they do not feel the warmth and sun – there is too little of it yet.
They have not received the signal and the order – blossom, there will be no cold until October.
Even the birds – although it is time for them to build their nests and sit down to hatch their chicks, they are not ready yet. The birds have already divided into their pairs, in some places they are still dividing up territories (we were at the lake last weekend and saw two males dancing in front of each other on the water, screaming loudly).

Their dance is a struggle and competition.

In April, everything is reborn.
Everything that was old and unnecessary recedes into oblivion, like rotten grass after winter.
Much is realized in a new way, in a different way, and changes with awakening.

What I would like to tell you now is one piece of wisdom that I have noticed in flowers.
Bulbous flowers are the first to wake up. These are beautiful, bright, fragrant flowers, whose rebirth is laid down far in the depths of winter and cold.
And here is what a strong productive energy is laid down in them when they go towards the light, towards the sun and warmth. They overcome a lot of obstacles to expose their tiny heads for one week to the spring sun. And only one week they play with their beauty. Only one week they give their love.
Wonderful!
After them, as a signal, the buds on the trees begin to move – I noticed from the cut grapes that this is how the vessels supply juice and nutrition from the roots to the branches at the beginning of spring to revive the buds on the trees. And now, during the day, you can see how the buds come to life, gain strength, put on their color, and grow in volume.
Wonderful!
Coming home, you want to change it, decorate and update it.
I took on this difficult task and decided that I would update the house by making artificial flowers from delicate violets and grapevine saved from last year’s fall.
What came out of it? A small decor that can be easily hung anywhere in the room.
Mood?
Wonderful!

Remember me at

https://www.saatchiart.com/en-ca/helenpolishuk

After silence

April 15, 2025April 26, 2025 Helen Polishuk

What to write after a long silence of two months?

What to say when it is better to just keep quiet? And it is true.

This year(2025 Snack) is very scary in its events and in its course. Starting the year with fantastic plans and the development of my art gallery, which Art Etobicoke gratefully offered me, with plans to fulfill the dream of working with children and adults, teaching them artistic creativity, improving my mentoring skills – instead of this, I will simply say that I fell out of life. I had to chaotically take up the creation of paintings, because I was afraid to stop. There was a time when creating paintings was so difficult for me, but very necessary. Therefore, there was another period when I posted and wrote and created something, until I stopped. And at this zero, it is already very difficult to get up, start your creative motor, pick up the speed that was at the beginning of the year. My loved ones, my environment, “moves” me. Thanks to them, I am grateful.
I have already visited the Easter bazar.
It even seemed to me that it was not only me – the audience of the bazar was so small.

I slept through (in the full sense of the word) the February and March gallery meetings.
Yesterday, for the first time after silence, I filled out a questionnaire for the upcoming exhibition.
That’s why I say – it is difficult to start something when the energy is at zero. There are a lot of internal excuses that twist from within and belatedly ask not to go, not to agree, not to rush, not to create, no..no..no.
However, I will tell you and show you all three paintings that I will present at the exhibition this month.
It turned out that, in keeping with the theme, they were all created in 2019. Not at the end, when the quarantine dome hung over us all, but at the beginning. This was special year. I have created a lot of paintings and they all differ from the previous and subsequent ones in style and color. Series 2019.

This series is made in a warm yellow-brown ochre color with my unique style of abstract expressionism that I created in those two years. It is the strokes that add charm to the paintings, they have more emphasis and meaning.
Everything in order.

Small, delicate two paintings, “Ballerina 1” and “Ballerina 2” were created at the same time. It was a period that absorbed in me to express the feminine inner creative “I”.

It was embodied in the movement of the Ballerina, in her dance, in her hand positioning and image.

This is not some specific ballerina, this is an image that symbolizes femininity and love for dance. There was a romantic mood and I really wanted to embody it in the painting. Therefore, I combined the dance and the image of the ballerina to emphasize the feminine principle, Venus and the symbol of beauty, grace and fragility. The paintings were painted on a base where I chose yellow ocher.

Working with this color was the basis of 2019. You will ask:,,Why exactly this colour?” It is not a bright color. It is a shadow, tint, primary color.

This is exactly what made me work with it.

I I was time not drawn to brightness. I left the dark color that I loved in previous years – in previous years I was carried away by black. In general, I have a lot of dark colors – early paintings were similar to graphics and made in oil on canvas in a black and white collection after returning from France in early 1995-1996. These paintings can now only be seen in buyers’ collections.
I survived that period and was reborn and no longer want to return to the black and white palette. So I am also finished with this yellow-brown ochra period.
I will repeat once again – there was a period of absolute warmth and love, grounding and comprehension at the beginning of 2019, when nothing promised tragic consequences and the closure of the quarantine curtain over all of us.
I dabbled in a casual style and painted … myself … my experiences. They were expressed in the next painting, “Nude”.

The style and manner of execution of this painting is that I use strokes to mask the clarity and the stroked outline of a naked woman. But you all see perfectly well that this is a woman. As if naked, we see the silhouette, but at the same time, we do not clearly see her body.
And the mysticism that has accompanied me throughout my life as an artist.
It was 2019. Look at the left shoulder of the female silhouette – there is a tattoo there.
Imagine that two years later, on a pre-war trip to Kyiv, in that place of body, on my left shoulder, I got a tattoo, along the outlines – like in this painting.
I did not even think about it on purpose.
I will even say it differently.

After creating this painting, “Nude”, I covered it with varnish and hid it until better times, because in my circle there was no opportunity to exhibit it in a gallery salon and there was no demand for it.

That is, as always, it was born ahead of time.
And here is the year 2025.
Yesterday I received an application to submit my works for the upcoming exhibition. I began to leaf through all my works (I have electronic versions of my works, collected by year)
The theme of the upcoming exhibition is Gender.
And I settled on these three paintings, in which “Nude” is the central one.