Artist Spotlight: Anhelina Holembivska

I’m Anhelina Holembivska, a Ukrainian painter living and working in Florence. I studied at the National Academy of Fine Arts in Kyiv before moving to Florence in 2018. I wanted to see more art and gain new experiences, and thought of the journey as my own Grand Tour. Florence gradually became my second home, and I now share a studio here with my husband, fellow painter Andrii Kateryniuk.

June

60 x 40 cm

I mainly paint flowers, although I also return to portraiture and landscape.

After finishing my studies in Kyiv, I spent a lot of time painting landscapes outdoors. During the pandemic lockdown, I came across some poppies in a supermarket near my home and arranged them into a still life. While painting them, something clicked: I realised how much I enjoyed the quiet, intimate experience of working alone with my subject.

Poppy, 2021

50 x 30 cm

What draws me to flowers is the opportunity to spend a long time looking closely at something beautiful. I enjoy observing their forms, noticing small changes and gradually translating what I see into paint. There is something deeply meditative about that process of looking and painting, and it remains one of the main reasons I keep returning to them.

My favourites are the Masters Choice Series 279 Long Flats, especially for impasto in the light areas. I pick up plenty of premixed paint with just the tip, so it’s the paint touching the canvas while the brush hairs barely make contact. Then I gently shape the stroke. I love how soft these brushes are and the textured marks they leave. I’ve had some of mine for about five years, and I like them even more as they wear.

Drawn Into Bloom, 2025

65 x 50 cm

For shadows, I use the Eclipse Long Filbert. It’s flexible and has a more defined tip, which helps me draw and refine the shadow shapes.

I use small Kolinsky sable brushes for little details, like the strands of hair catching the light in Drawn into Bloom, or the tiny catchlights in birds’ eyes.

I also love Comber brushes for softening edges. I often use a clean, dry one while the paint is still fresh, gently blending along an edge. The thin, flat shape makes it easy to do this with a light touch.

Visit anhelina.art⁠ or follow Anhelina on Instagram @anhelina_holembivska