by Ofelia Zurbia Betancourt


Deciding to become an art professional is one of the most daring things an individual can do in their life. Now, the culture of globalization demonstrates how hard and easy it can be at the same time. On the one hand, we see the numerous possibilities a contemporary artist can explore. For example, with the help of social media, a creator can avoid selling and promoting their art through a gallery. On the other hand, it became incredibly hard to find a personal tone of voice in this visual chaos feast. That may frighten some emerging artists.




All of that forces artists to spend years discovering their recognizable style to be unique in their creative practice. Of course, some representatives in the sphere are worried about the amount of sales and possible lack of profit, which also affects their practice. However, a true artist prefers to focus on their oeuvre in the first place and master it for years. This method is the only one that allows us to select dedicated professionals in the ocean of creativity.



Ukrainian artist Olena Strekalova, who is better known as Holly Haurelia, is one of those creators whose main focus is on their craft and not on becoming a “commercial ad”. She was born in Kiev, where she gained her professional training as well. During the time he got her BA and MA degrees, Strekalova developed a strong interest in Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles. That interest remained in her oeuvre as an independent artist. Such a blend allowed the creation of a personal “tone of voice” and stood out in the field.

A closer look at Strekalova’s styles reveals that artists like William Morris are her primary influences. The inspiration Strekalova draws from their creative heritage. She actively blends some of the decorative patterns used by these masters. Furthermore, even though there is this familiar element of the past, there is also a lot of personality and uniqueness that Strekalova add from herself. She managed to blend Art Nouveau and Art Deco with Japanese ornament aesthetics, which made her recognizable and interesting in the field.



The human body is her main interest, and this theme is one of the most popular ones throughout the history of art. Over centuries, that subject has never become boring for anyone in the sphere due to the numerous approaches and strategies available.
Giving a general overview of Olena Strekalova’s art, it is possible to say that she prefers a classical composition structure with a highlighted center. Most of her characters are side-drawn, which creates a reference to coin design, where rulers are depicted this way. However, some of her series are slightly different.

The artistic fusion Strekalova creates is presented in one of her most interesting series, named “Warrior of the Erebus City”. Unlike other collections, here we see only one character presented in different outfits and poses. The ornamental background in every picture is a Morris-influenced element. By using it, the artist creates a rhythmical visual pattern that makes it seem that all imagery is diverse. But the more you look at it, the more you see that the main rhythm is dictated by the way the heroine changes her poses. It demonstrates one of the uncommon understandings of females in the past centuries – a strong, self-confident woman.



The name of the series refers to the ancient Greek personification of darkness. However, the imagery provided by the artist is created in high-key coloring. Her palette is full of warm ochric tints, which makes the viewer believe that there is always a ray of light in darkness. In a way, some of the patterns can be understood as the artist's personal iconography, which is not typical for most creators
In conclusion, it is important to highlight that Olena Strekalova managed to build her artistic career by working with the inheritance of the past, which she reassembled for her personal creative needs. That move helped the artist to evolve professionally and develop a recognizable style.