When asked about what inspires her, Mariya Pilipenko responded, “My artwork is typically a force of positivity. I love optimism, playing with decorative details and inserting bits of storytelling when I can. I grew up in Ukraine and moved to the Unit

ed States when I was young. Since I can remember I have been surrounded by Ukrainian folk art and that is always the source of my inspiration. Folk art captures our world in such a humble way while being whimsical and imaginative, and it’s meaningful

for me to draw from this tradition in my own style.”