“Turn on the light”. Oksana Klishch. #lecturers
Always look for the positive!
Oksana Klishch is a designer, PhD in Architecture, senior lecturer at the Department of Fine Arts, Decorative Arts and Restoration.
Oksana Andriivna, you have been working at K-PNU for many years. Why did you choose this particular profession? What motivated you?
I have been working for over 10 years. I have always seen myself in the creative field. When choosing a profession, I hesitated between architecture and design. In the end, I chose design and entered Lviv Polytechnic National University. However, I was lucky enough to encounter architecture in graduate school. I never thought about teaching, probably because the circumstances were right at the time.
What approach do you use when working with students? Are there any specific features of teaching design?
I cannot call myself a strict teacher. I believe that our students are mostly conscious, original and talented individuals with whom it is interesting to communicate. I like to organize the educational process in such a way that everyone feels on equal terms and has the opportunity to follow their own individual trajectory. Sometimes it is difficult to organize this, especially when it comes to groups from different educational programs combined into streams. The main feature of teaching design is that you give students the opportunity to show their creativity to the fullest, to develop it from rather vague ideas to fully reasoned design solutions.
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Tell us about your participation in international academic mobility. What are the features and goals of the projects you participated in?
The longest and most thorough was my participation in the six-month scholarship programme of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland “GAUDE POLONIA” organized by the National Cultural Center in Warsaw. In my case, it involved conducting a research and searching for preliminary solutions to the project of revitalizing a fragment of the De Witte Gardens, a lost monument of landscape architecture in Kamianets-Podilskyi in the second half of the eighteenth century. My supervisor was PhD Agata Zachariasz, Head of the Department of Landscape Architecture at the Tadeusz Kosciuszko University of Technology in Cracow. So, from May to October 2021, I lived in Cracow and had the opportunity to immerse myself in the topic, researching it in the local archives and museums, but not only. It also opened a window of opportunity for traveling around the cities of Poland (and beyond), studying trends in modern landscape design of open public spaces, and visiting preserved European parks of the eighteenth century. In short, I was very pleased with both the choice of topic and the opportunity to research it in practice, so I strongly advise everyone who has the opportunity but does not dare to participate in international mobility to put aside their fears and try it.
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Another, but no less useful experience was gained in the EU Erasmus+ programme for academic staff in the form of teaching. Again in Cracow, but this time at the Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts (April 2023). Under the terms of this mobility, my role was to conduct a lecture and a workshop for the students of the Academy. I can say that it definitely improves skills.
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Which design project that you have developed is your favorite?
I mostly work with graphic projects, so my favorite among them is the logo and visual support for the Ladyzhynskyi Hai International Symposium of Wooden Sculpture.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I love simple trips and walks with my family. I also like to tidy up the landscape on my own property. This is a completely different kind of work, yes, but it has important advantages for me: firstly, it is far from the computer, secondly, it is a useful physical activity, and thirdly, it gives you a moment when the result is visible immediately and you are happy with it.
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Where do you get inspiration for your creative projects? How do you work with creating concepts and ideas for graphic design projects?
Фото 15 (вставити поруч з правої сторони із наступним розділом)
Usually in the project itself, in its content, in the play of words, symbols or images. Sometimes I turn to associations from other areas: nature, art, modern trends and innovations.
When it comes to creating concepts, I start with a detailed understanding of the project’s task and goals, then dive deeper into the topic, look for symbolic moments, inspiration, and create a series of sketches (I somehow didn’t work out with moodboards, although it is an effective way to speed up the process). After selecting the main sketch, I move on to the detailed development and refinement of the concept, collaborating with the customer, client or team to ensure that the final product meets their requirements and expectations.
How do you maintain your productivity and creativity in the work environment? What skills do you consider the most important for a successful graphic designer and how do you develop them?
In my work environment, my creativity is fine, but my productivity is not as good as I would like. In general, I like to work without distractions, alone, and it’s hard to abstract from noise, so I still don’t have enough individual workspace.
As for the skills, of course, mastery of compositional, artistic and graphic literacy, as well as the necessary software will be of primary importance, but the ability to communicate with the customer and argue your ideas is also important. This is best developed through practical training and work.
Do you have an ambitious dream for the future? Is it related to design?
Yes. Partly yes, and also with golf, but I won’t tell you more.
If you had the opportunity to drop everything and do one thing, what would you choose and why?
It’s hard to say. If I had a clear answer to this question, I would probably already be doing it. I think everything gets boring sooner or later when it becomes routine. Changing activities helps you catch your breath, find a different opinion, and see the pros and cons.
What would you wish the students and faculty of Kamianets-Podilskyi Ivan Ohiienko University?
Good news from the Armed Forces and Victory, of course, so that we can return to life without a constant threat as soon as possible.
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