Meet Myrna Often when I go to interview people, I bring something to take notes, but as soon as I entered the house of artist Myrna Pronchuk, we got to chatting so quickly that there just wasn’t time. I was so taken by all of the work on her walls, not to mention the great feeling you often get from entering an artist’s home, which is to say it felt inspiring and full of creative energy. Experiencing all that was present and in the moment was more important to me than taking notes.
To advertise here, please contact Marty@villagerpublications.com Myrna’s sense of gratitude for her experiences in life is so apparent in speaking with her. She has had great pleasure in The vibrancy of Myrna’s artwork is a reflection of a lived experience and casts itself in many forms including drawing, painting, sculpture and sonic exploration. Her inspiration delves into the relationships we have with the environment, politics, power, one’s sense of purpose, and the inquiry of balance and responsibility. Myrna’s travels and exposure to various systems in society has informed and fuelled these important conversations and her art. So I’ll tell you what I had the good fortune to learn from our conversation. Myrna grew up in Manitoba but has called many places home in her lifetime. Her passion for visual arts came from a strong relationship she had with her aunt who was also an artist. It was during this time with her aunt that she learned many skills that would prove to be very useful in her future. Myrna’s first move to London back in the 1990s was somewhat accidental…literally. She had found herself in a pickle over a car accident and ended up staying with family in Lucan to resolve the issue. This led to a much longer stay. She continued to work on her art along with playing music in aggregations as a mandolin player. In the mid-90s she and her partner decided to make a move to Nashville which became her home for many years. She found herself doing artwork including portrait work for many well-known people. Although this is a great option for artists, there is often a strong calling to do other kinds of work. For various reasons, Myrna decided to further herself as an artist through apprenticing and schooling, acquiring her Bachelor of Fine Arts while in Nashville. It seems Mryna has also been able to make lemonade from many lemony times in her life. She was invited to Atlanta for the opportunity of a free ride at Georgia State University, to acquire a Masters of Fine Arts in Drawing and Painting by one of her all-time art heroes, Pamela Longobardi. Myrna was inspired by the work of artists engaged in environmental issues and her artwork represented her passion for this, as she began doing work with found items in sculpture.
doing artist residencies in Ireland, Greece, Spain, Germany, and many throughout the United States and likely will continue to share her knowledge for many years to come. She had a desire to plant roots in Southwestern Ontario again and found exactly what she wanted here in Old East Village back in 2017. Her outlook is kind and very contagious when you chat with her. She enjoys the neighbourhood and can often be seen walking with her very friendly dog Fionn. Myrna is a perfect example of an artistic treasure we’re so lucky to have living just around the corner. Visit myrnapronchuk.ca to see more.
Old East Villager January-February 2025 • Page 5
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