| Title | Legends |
| Subtitle | Ukrainian Folk Creation Myths |
| Artist / Creator | Katya Reka |
| Artist's Nationality | United States |
| Place of Publication | las Cruces, NM |
| Publication Date | 2010 |
| Subject | Religion |
| Process / Technique | Digital printing |
| Structure / Binding | Flutter binding, wooden covers |
| Medium / Materials | Thread embroidery on paper, watercolor |
| Paper Stock | Handmade flax, white Mohawk cotton papers |
| Number of Pages | 16 pages |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 6.25 x 9 x .25 inches |
| Edition Size | Unique |
| Signed & Numbered | Yes |
I am fascinated by the folk mythologies that create meaning and elevate the everyday, mundane rituals and objects. The comforting nature of myths was the inspiration for this book. As a Ukrainian artist living in the US, revisiting my culture is a way to create my own contemporary myths about my country and to reconcile my current life with the things I miss, the things that are no longer there. The book illustrates 6 Ukrainian legends about creation. It is written in Ukrainian and covers topics from creation of the sky and the moon, to the creation of tobacco and potato plants. The imagery used is based on Ukrainian embroidery and decorative motifs. Ukrainian decorative motifs were used on clothing, books and household items as a protective, sacred element. Drop caps are in the typeface designed specifically for this book. Handmade flax paper, digitally printed text, watercolor illustrations and embroidery on pages create layers of visual storytelling.
Artist Bio
Katya Reka is a graphic designer and a book artist. Her work explores handmade and digital and integrates book arts, graphic design, printmaking, photography and textiles. Interested in the role and place of a physical book in the contemporary world, she combines handmade paper, stitching, traditional printmaking techniques with digital printing, video and interactive publications for digital tablets. Reka's work has been included in national and international exhibitions. She is the recipient of the Jerome Foundation Fellowship for Emerging Book Artists in 2005-06, Minnesota Center for Book Arts. Katya Reka presents workshops and lectures on bookbinding, papermaking and experimental book arts and is a member of the College Book Art Association.