Meet FIDA Award Winner – Olha Abrosimova
Introducing Olha Abrosimova, the winner of the Best Illustrated Editorial Award — an artist whose path has unfolded through exploration, but whose work arrives with striking confidence. Trained first in Law, she admits she was always searching for a place where she could express something deeper. “Being an artist is my full-time profession,” she says, “though my path was not direct.” Fashion design came first – sewing, tailoring, experimenting with materials – before illustration became the bridge between storytelling, colour, and form. “Over time I realised that painting is my true calling, where I can fully express emotions, personal identity, and the experiences of contemporary life.”
This was her first time entering FIDA, but the decision felt obvious. “My work combines pop-art elements with the visual language of fashion illustration, so applying felt natural. I wanted to share this direction with a wider audience and see how it resonates in an international context.”
When she found out she’d won, she describes a mix of gratitude and momentum. “Winning showed me that my visual language – the way I talk about emotions, identity, and modern society– resonates with others.” She hopes the recognition will lead to new collaborations, more viewers, and “opportunities to grow artistically.”
For her, the award also carries a deeper validation. “It feels like an acknowledgment of the depth and honesty I aim for in my work,” she says. Her paintings revolve around the tensions and desires of modern life: “satisfaction, feelings, dreams, desires, and passions,” but also “addictions, political views, consumer relationships, sinful condemnation, and the desire to seem better.” Her work, she says, reflects “temptations, weaknesses, the pursuit of good luck, and personality.” To have these themes recognised affirms that they matter – and encourages her to continue.
Her winning work, Just Blue, begins with a simple question: what does blue really mean to us today? “Colour has a strong influence on our emotions and psychological state,” she explains. “Blue is often associated with calmness, balance, and inner harmony.” In the piece, she paints her alter ego and her own associations with the colour. Her technique blends pop-art, fashion illustration, and classical layering. Working in acrylic and oil, she builds depth through light, contrast, and an almost obsessive attention to detail. “This richness of detail allows each painting to tell a layered story and engage the viewer in discovering new visual connections.”
Portraits and commissioned still-life pieces make up a significant part of her practice. She approaches each one like a coded personal narrative. “I incorporate elements that are meaningful to the client. The finished work becomes a symbiosis of cherished memories, favourite places, current hobbies, and visual symbols representing dreams and aspirations.” Each piece becomes “a valuable visualization of what is most dear to the client’s heart.”
The award, she says, will shape what comes next. “It encourages me to deepen my focus on identity, desire, and the emotional landscape of contemporary society.” She hopes to expand her visual language, blend classical still-life structures with modern symbols, and collaborate with galleries, institutions, clients, and brands internationally.
To other artists seeking recognition, her advice is direct: “Stay true to your vision and keep working even when results don’t appear immediately. Authenticity, consistency, and openness to experimentation matter more than trends. Show your work whenever you can – visibility is essential.”
She dedicates her win to two things that ground her: her family and her homeland. “My work is shaped by the experiences and emotions of the place I come from, and by the strength of people who continue fighting for peace and dignity.”
As for what’s next? She doesn’t hesitate. “Work, work, and more work on new paintings! I have so many ideas and sketches that are ready to become full-fledged artworks.” Her priority is simple – “not to lose myself and my style,” while staying open to new techniques, collaborations, gallery partnerships, and international projects. “I’m excited to keep creating, experimenting, and sharing my vision with the world.”
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