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The artworks exhibition of master-carver Dmytro Kudria and his students "Driver’s Dream"

On December 2, 2016 the Regional Art Museum opened the artworks exhibition of a unique master-carver Dmytro Kudria and his students with the romantic name "Driver’s Dream".

Dmytro Volodymyrovych was born in Mala Vyska, Kirovohrad region, but as a creative person presents the glorious city of Oleksandriia, which is constantly surprising our region and the world with its amazing artists. There are people who are active, restless, creative, with unquenchable enthusiasm, who are often called a "man-fireworks" or a "man-orchestra". Dmytro Kudria fully fits these definitions; moreover, he is really a musician. He graduated from Kirovohrad musical school, worked as a teacher of clarinet at Oleksandriia children's music school, was the leader of the amateur brass band, and today he carries out his admiration for the music as the artist of the city municipal brass band "Lira".

At the same time there is a huge love of carving, which he inherited from his father and grandfather. The latter, by the way, was a master on making violins. Working as a teacher at Aleksandriia children's music school, Dmytro Kudria worked part-time at the circle "Souvenir" at the House of pioneers and youth and in 1986 he got a permanent job there as the head abovementioned circle.

The same year he became a director of the people’s art studio "Art carving" at the Center of Children and Youth Arts. The Master-carver put to the basis of his artistic and educational activities an excellent motto "Beauty will save the world". He promotes Ukrainian folk art which struggles the right to life in time of inexorable urbanization and technological revolution. He draws children to study Ukrainian authenticity, contributes to their creative self-expression, which is essential for life- and self-determination and for their further professional development, moreover it is the spiritual upbringing of healthy generation of Ukrainians worthy to become builders of a new European Ukraine. Actually Dmytro Kudria in terms of post-revolutionary and wartime performs a very important and absolutely necessary work of labor education, not only teaching children to produce various products for exhibitions, but also drawing them to making equipment for the workshop, the circle room, to creating with their hands gifts to families and relatives. Adopting creative fervor of the teacher and his love of carving, children make toys, souvenirs, portraits of prominent cultural figures, stuff for interior decoration etc. with real pleasure.

In addition, this amazingly creative and active person always gives methodical and practical help to school teachers of labor studies. Dmytro Volodymyrovych has prepared more than twenty methodical guidelines for artistic carving, which are used at lessons in schools and developed the program "Wood Carving", which is designed for four years of extracurricular institution for students 10-18 years old. He initiated systematic contest of professional skills among workers in schools, vocational schools, after-school facilities. In 2003 Dmytro Kudria established international relationships with Swedish children's groups «Minklippa», located in Norbert.

An indication of official recognition of the master’s artistic and educational merits is numerous letters of thanks, diplomas of different levels, today there are more than thirty five ones, the award "Excellence in Education of Ukraine" and the status people’s master of woodworking at Ukrainian National Union of Folk Art Masters.

Dmytro Volodymyrovych is not only talented master, but also a heaven-born teacher, which is eloquently confirmed by artistic achievements of his students - winners of the International Festival of Children and Youth Arts, dedicated to the Earth Day, the All-Ukrainian exhibition-contest "Ukrainian souvenir", festival of technical creativity "Orbit-Artek ", competition for the best work of art, dedicated to European football Championship" Euro-2012", contest of junior pupils from the initial technical modeling, All-Ukrainian competition "Talents of families with many children", VIII Ukrainian festival competition for the best young master of crafts in Kyiv, Ukrainian contest of children's creativity "Taxes through the children’s eyes", XII child's international Arts festival "Talents of the third Millennium" in Kharkiv, Ukrainian contest of children's creativity "Know and love your native land", All-Ukrainian exhibition-festival "Talented children of Ukraine". This remarkable list is the best reward for the teacher and deserved cause to be proud of his work and his students.

But this certainly brilliant teacher not only teaches others, but he does not get tired of learning continuously, self-improving and polishing his skills. He masters the technique of geometrical carving, creating amazing works of authorship - boxes, portraits of writers and musicians, kitchen boards, shelves, clocks etc.

The reward for patience, commitment and hard work become more and more skilfull masterpieces that are systematically presented in nationwide, regional and local exhibitions, competitions and festivals of arts and crafts including Regional Exhibition of creative association of masters of arts and crafts and amateur artists "Wonderful World" regional exhibition "The Triumph of grace, conscience, talent" at the festival of spiritual singing "I pray for you, Ukraine!" (Kropyvnytskyi), "Cossacks kin never ends" (Dnipro region), exhibitions of folk art "Carpathian Opening Day" (Ivano-Frankivsk), open festival of arts and crafts "Colours of Ukraine", fair masters of arts and crafts "Generous Mylolai", Ukrainian exhibition "Ukrainian folk toy", International Specialized exhibition of folk art "The best product of the year", the annual report of artists of Kirovohrad region (Kyiv), Sorochyntsi fair-exhibition (Poltava region), festival "Slavonic bazaar" (Vitebsk, Belarus) and others.

Today works of Dmytro Kudria are in numerous private collections in the State Museum of Folk Architecture and Life of Ukraine, the State Museum of Toys, numerous private collections, and eventually in exposition hall of Regional Art Museum in Kropyvnytskyi.

Opened at the museum exhibition of the master’s and his pupils’ works  "Driver’s Dream" was a real gift not only for fans of the highly professional art of making amazing works of wood, but also for those who are not indifferent to the "iron horse" because it presents models of different vehicles made often in the form of transformers. It also has a huge cognitive value because wooden models of various vehicles - cars, trucks, trains, military vehicles etc. thanks to the talented hands of Dmytro Kudria and students of the studio "Art carving" can be disjointed and jointed which causes increased interest and additional positive feelings not only among children but also adult audience.

As part of the exhibition "Driver’s Dream" opening, there was a series of creative meetings of Dmytro Kudria with students and preschool children (pupils of kindergarten № 37, school № 4), which were held in the atmosphere of live communication and unconstrained dialogue. Dmytro Volodymyrovych loves and knows how to communicate with children, he has another real talent of being a teacher and a psychologist - the ability to find an approach to young hearts and lit them with his own creative fire. Visitors of the exhibition had a unique opportunity not only to communicate with the master and enjoy the wonderful contemplation of wood products, but also find out the design features of works presented, and even more - hold them in their hands, which was a real treat for young fans of "iron horses".

 

Oleh Yurchenko - Senior research associate of

Regional Art Museum