"There are no absolute adults, there are no absolute children. We all come from a fairy tale world, where the most vivid dreams live, where the air is saturated with dreams. The most important thing, as you grow older, is not to lose the child inside you, as you become wiser, to remain open-minded, loving and always ready to meet a fairy tale"

Artist Statement

Katya Dudnik combines classical painting with elements of fantasy and surrealism, creating her own unique style: dreamlike realism. Her works explore themes of humanity, memory, and existential futurism, inviting viewers to reconnect with their inner child and personal dreams in search of their own path in the world. The artist harmoniously balances two directions: serious portraiture and object-based painting, addressing social issues and the immigrant experience, while also developing a vivid world of positive reality. Executed primarily in oil and acrylic, her works often incorporate mixed media such as collage, gilding, beads, epoxy resin, and even 3D-printed elements. Her murals, illustrations, and other artworks can be found in public spaces, books, private collections, and museums around the world.

Member of:

Associate member RAAV du Quebec
Artists in Montreal (AIM)
Youth Union of Artists of Ukraine
Izmail Union of Artists

Biography:

Katya Dudnik is a Ukrainian-Canadian artist born in the small town Izmail, in the Bessarabian region of southern Ukraine, into a family of artists—Volodymyr and Svitlana Dudnyk. Raised in a deeply creative environment, Katya’s childhood was shaped by art and imagination, laying the foundation for her future as a professional artist. At the age of 15, she was accepted into the State Art and Architecture School in Kyiv, and later graduated from the National Academy of Fine Arts with a Bachelor's degree in easel painting.

Katya began exhibiting her work in 2000 and has remained active on the Ukrainian and international art scenes ever since.

In 2003, her first son, Maksym, was born.
In 2008, she signed a contract with producers that later proved exploitative. After several years of legal battles, the contract was successfully terminated in 2012.
Until 2011, she lived in Kyiv, before relocating to Yevpatoria, Crimea, from 2011 to 2014. Following the Russian annexation of Crimea, Katya, her son, and husband, artist Serge Iofik, were forced to flee under the watch of armed “green men” at the border, leaving behind their home and studio.

From 2014 to 2022, Katya lived and worked in Kyiv, rebuilding her life from scratch. Her artistic voice matured, and she gained increasing recognition both in Ukraine and abroad. In 2014, her second son, Solomon, was born.

Just days before Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Katya and her family left Ukraine. After a month in the Czech Republic and nine months in Austria, they immigrated to Montreal, Quebec, at the end of 2022. Since settling in Canada, Katya has focused on learning French and English while continuing her artistic and community work. In 2024, she began working as an early childhood educator, combining her love for creativity and education. She also actively participates in charity events in support of Ukraine, leads workshops, and continues to exhibit her work in solo and group shows across Canada and beyond.

Education:

BFA – National Academy of Arts, Kyiv, Ukraine (2007)
Diploma – Kyiv State Art School (2000)

Awards and grants
2025, Montreal — 2nd place winner – "My Defender" – AIM
2025, Montrea – people choice ,Sammer Expo 2025, AIM
2021, Italy — Winner of International Prize “Raffaello & Canova”

Solo Exhibition

• 2023, Montreal, Canada — “Magnifique Exposition” (совместно с Serge Iofik)
• 2020, Kyiv, Ukraine — Art:ego Culture Center, Solo exhibition
• 2020, Kyiv — Art Center BRATISLAVA, Solo exhibition
• 2019, Kyiv — Art Gallery Manufaktura, “Unusual Stories of Babies and Toddlers
• 2019, Kyiv — Junior Fashion Week solo exhibition
• 2019, Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi — Museum of Local Lore, solo exhibition
• 2019 Kyiv Personal exhibition "Unusual stories of babies and toddlers", Kyiv, Art Gallery Manufaktura
• 2019, Kyiv — Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, solo exhibition
• 2019 Kyiv Personal exhibition “We are all from childhood”, Children's club “ZkidZ” Retail Park Petrivka
• 2018, Odessa — “World of Dreams and Fantasies” at VICTORY GARDENS Luxury Gallery, solo
• 2018, Zatoka, Odesa region — solo exhibition at hotel “AKADEMIYA”
• 2018. Cultural and educational exhibition "Light in the Soul of a Child", Kyiv, "National Library of Ukraine for Children"
• 2017, Kamianske (Dniprodzerzhynsk) — “Katrusina’s piggy bank of fairy tales” at Municipal History Museum
• 2017, Kropyvnytskyi — same exhibition at Gallery “Yelisavetgrad”
• 2017, Odessa — same exhibition at VICTORY GARDENS Luxury Gallery
• 2016. Personal exhibition, with the support of the charitable organization Center for Culture and Arts "ZLATOUST", Kamianske (Dniprodzerzhynsk), Kamianske City History Museum
• 2016, Chernihiv — solo exhibition at Galagan Regional Museum
• 2016, Kyiv — solo exhibition at Taras Shevchenko National Museum
• 2016, Kyiv — solo show “ART MIX FASHION” at Monacostyle beautyroom
• 2015, Kyiv — Spivakovska ART EGO, solo exhibition
• 2013, Kyiv — Parsuna Gallery, solo exhibition (twice in same year)
• 2013, Donetsk — Paduan Arte Gallery, solo exhibition
• 2012, Dnepropetrovsk — Pastoral district solo exhibition
• 2012, Moscow — Arden Gallery, solo exhibition
• 2012, Kyiv — “Keep the child in you” at Belgravia Business Club, solo exhibition
• 2011, Izmail — “Where Fairy Tales Live” at Izmail Art Gallery, solo exhibition
• 2010, Odesa — Bulgarian Center solo exhibition “Just Like That”
• 2009, Kyiv — “Tales for Mom” at Ukrainian House, solo exhibition
• 2009, Kyiv — “Ceramics in the Tower”, solo exhibition
• 2008, Kyiv — ProCredit Bank, solo exhibition with Arts Development Promotion Fund
• 2006, Kyiv — Charity Foundation "Sofia", solo exhibition
  
  

Group exhibitions

• 2025, Montreal, Canada, Summer Expo 2025, AIM
• 2024, Montreal, Canada, Écomusée du fier monde, "Arts Visuel"
• 2024, Montreal, Canada Expo D’Art Collectif, AIM
• 2023, Montreal, Canada, La Terrasse, "L'exposition d'art ukrainien "Life"
• 2022, Stockerau, Austria Charity exhibition of Ukrainian artists
• 2022, Vicenza, Italy Charity exhibition of Ukrainian artists
• 2022, Vienna, Austria — group exhibition of Ukrainian artists
• 2021, Paris Exhibition of Ukrainian artists to the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's Independence l’International Art Gallery
• 2021 Paris July exhibition of contemporary artists Business Art Fair
• 2021 Paris October exhibition of contemporary artists Business Art Fair
• 2021 Kyiv exhibition to the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's Independence in the library of the Darnytsia Administration
• 2021 Kyiv Exhibition of contemporary Ukrainian artists museum-workshop I.P. Kavaleridze
• 2019 Kyiv Exhibition "Art for heart" by Spivakovska ART: EGO gallery as part of the charity evening "Christmas Impulse"
• 2018 Kyiv Participation in the exhibition “Mother's Fairy Tale” as part of the art project of Lyka Spivakovsky “Retrospective of Childhood” and “Junior Fashion Week”, KVC “Parkovy”.
• 2017. Participation in the project "Ukrainian Fashion Week — 20 years", Kyiv, "Mystetskyi Arsenal"
• 2014. Christmas exhibition, Kyiv, Spivakovskaya ART EGO
• 2017. Participation in the exhibition "Magic Artists of Kyiv and Ukraine", Kyiv, Center for Ukrainian Culture and Art
• 2011, Kyiv — Illustrators exhibition at Lviv International Children’s Festival (group show)
• 2011 Izmail, Christmas exhibition, Art-bat Gallery
• 2009. Odesa, exhibition "Dialogue about Truth", Museum of Western and Eastern Art
• 2009. Izmail, exhibition "Dialogue Continues", Izmail Art Gallery
• 2009. Kyiv, art exhibition "Fine Art — 2009".
• 2008, Kyiv — ART‑Kyiv 2008 fair
• 2008, Izmail — Autumn Exhibition solo show with Union of Artists of Izmail
• 2008 Izmail, report exhibition of the "Union of Artists of Izmail"
• 2004, Kyiv — “Women’s Exhibition until March 8”, solo show
• 2004, Izmail — “Budzhak’s Youth”, solo exhibition
• 2001 Ivano-Frankivsk, "Picturesque Ukraine"
• 2000 Odesa, exhibition dedicated to the "2000th Anniversary of Christmas
• 2019, Venice Biennale — “The Falling Shadow of ‘Mriya’” at Ukrainian Pavilion, Giardini
• 2018, Republic of Moldova (Chișinău) — Union of Artists of Ukraine & Moldova exhibition “Ukraine and Moldova”
• 2011, Tbilisi, Georgia — international project “Ukraine‑Georgia, Two Hearts — One Soul” Katya Dudnik
• 2009. Georgia, under the patronage of "ProCreditBank" and the Embassy of Georgia in Ukraine, exhibition "From Ukraine with ProCreditArt"
  

International projects:

2019, Venice Biennale — “The Falling Shadow of ‘Mriya’” at Ukrainian Pavilion, Giardini Gardens
2018, Republic of Moldova (Chișinău) — Union of Artists of Ukraine & Moldova exhibition “Ukraine and Moldova”
2011, Tbilisi, Georgia — international project “Ukraine‑Georgia, Two Hearts — One Soul”
2009. Georgia, under the patronage of "ProCreditBank" and the Embassy of Georgia in Ukraine, exhibition "From Ukraine with ProCreditArt"

Book Illustrations:

2024, The Children from Gamirne (2012, Children from Bulerbyu) by Astrid Lindhren
2019-2020, Redhead Series of two books (Charming, Mysterious, Halloween, New Year’s stories)
2018, Lawyer’s Breakfast and Autumn Giraffe by Semyon & Anna Khanin, two books
2017 Cinderella
2017 Bremen Town Musicians
2011, Jelsomino (Gianni Rodari)
Over 10 Ukrainian school textbooks and story collection

Other Projects & Awards

2020 partner on the CIRCLE FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS platform
2017 Mural on a residential building in Kyiv
2016, Kyiv — All‑Ukrainian project “374 Artists

Volunteering and charity initiatives

2022, Charity exhibitions: Stockerau, Austria & Vicenza, Italy — exhibitions of Ukrainian artists in support of charity
2021, Charity exhibitions for 30th Anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence: exhibitions in Paris, L’International Art Gallery; Business Art Fair in June and October
2019, Kyiv — “Art for Heart” charity evening by Spivakovska ART: EGO 2012, Moscow — charity auctions: “Artists for children” and fundraiser for orphanage Nikolo‑Perervinskaya Monastery
2012 Charity auction "Artists for children", Kyiv