My Colourful Chickens at the Royal Watercolour Society Open 2026
I’m excited to share that my work Colourful Chickens is currently on display at the Royal Watercolour Society Open 2026 at the Bankside Gallery in London. The exhibition opened on 27 February and runs until 15 March.
It’s a great honour to be part of this prestigious show, run by the oldest watercolour society in the world — the Royal Watercolour Society — which turns 222 this year. This was also my first visit to London, and the city left a strong and uplifting impression. The gallery is right in the heart of the city, just a few steps from the well‑known Tate Modern.
The selection process was very thorough: professional, practicing artists chose works from thousands of submissions from around the world. This year’s judges included @bobandrobertasmith (Bob and Roberta Smith RA), Siphiwe Mnguni, Charles Williams PRWS, Akash Bhatt RWS, and Caroline Cornelius RWS. I feel very lucky that my chickens were chosen among such talented international artists.
My Colourful Chickens are inspired by the simple and honest life in the small village of Kovalivka in Western Ukraine. They are painted in watercolour with ink and a salt effect, in a variety of colours, each with its own personality, pose, and movement. The large painting is displayed on a separate wall, immediately catching visitors’ attention and often bringing a smile. Getting the work from Toronto to London was not easy, but it was worth it.
If you’re in London, please visit Bankside Gallery to see the exhibition in person.
This experience encourages me to keep painting and to continue exploring village life in contemporary watercolour, combining traditional elements with new approaches and techniques.