Biography.
Born in Ukraine, award winning artist Oksana Zhelisko, one of Edmonton’s strongest contemporary artists of the feminine portrait, puts women first. The classically trained visual artist creates beautiful feminine portraits in oil that differ in emotions, moods and atmosphere. Passion, love, curiosity, exhaustion, sadness and elegance are all highlighted. Each painting engages on a meaningful level.
In addition, 9 years ago, Oksana adapted and became obsessed with the magic of En Plein Air Painting. It’s the visual trip through colour and shape that gets Oksana excited. A destination with amazing scenery, traveled at the painter’s pace … allowing her to capture the stunning views not just with the camera, but with the paint and canvas.
“I prefer working in Alla-prima style (wet-on-wet) of painting and I use this style as much as possible. Even when I work on bigger paintings, I make sure to block in tonal and colour balances in my first session. I work intuitively, bold and free from the start at the same time staying true to the emotional response of the initial idea. As I continue working on a painting, I slow down and add more calculated decisions and get certain areas tighter and more detailed”
Oksana offers a variety of oil and acrylic classes and leads a mentorship programme. Oksana brings her training, skill, and passion to her painting, and she is versatile in expressive styles. She is adept at many genres, including portraiture, still life, and landscape.

Artist Statement:
I prefer working in Alla-prima style (wet-on-wet) of painting and I use this style as much as possible. Even when I work on bigger paintings, I make sure to block in tonal and colour balances in my first session. I work intuitively, bold and free from the start at the same time staying true to the emotional response of the initial idea. As I continue working on a painting, I slow down and add more calculated decisions and get certain areas tighter and more detailed.
I love this subtle connection between harsh defined edges and loose, faint lines. The marriage between transparent, flowy paint and thick, opaque layers. I love asymmetry and well-planned randomness, where your subject is only suggestive. I feel that it leaves more room for the viewer to spark their imagination.
When I see a blank canvas – it scares and excites me at the same time. I see infinite possibilities and elements of surprise that always keep me craving for more. I don’t always know where my painting is going and that is part of the beautiful process – the not knowing!
Painting is a conversation. A conversation that first starts between a blank canvas and its creator and later on, it is a conversation between a painting and its audience.
I would like to think of myself as a storyteller. Each painting, either it is an urban landscape or figurative art, is a moment in time with deep emotions, atmosphere and purpose. If my art can touch once soul and evoke their deepest emotions – then I have succeeded as an artist.

“When do you know that the painting is done” – is the question that I have been asked most frequently, especially by my students. To me, a painting is completed when I look at it and nothing bothers me in it. Then, I start thinking – would I hang this on my wall? Would I buy it? If the answer is yes, then my job is done.
In the end, it is all about the process, about feelings, vibes and story telling and that is what being an artist for me. Being able to share these emotions with my patrons, let them live in my paintings and create stories of their own. It is a blessing and I wouldn’t want it to be any other way.