Галина Стельмащук • Марія Гарасовська-Дачишин

132 to January 14, 1935, she presented three works inspired by Ukrainian themes: Rage and groan, Fallen Strilets, and Night. Maria combined her studies at the Krakow Academy of Arts and Jagiellonian University, where she majored in teaching. She also completed studies at Katowice College, majoring in advertising. Later on this helped her in finding employment. Before WWII she was a teacher in sketch and advertising technique at the Trade Gymnasia in Tchev (Danzig). At the beginning of the war she worked as a decorator at the travelling theatre “Granite”, often visiting Kholmchshyna. In 1940 Maria married Yuriy Daczyszyn, an engineer by profession. In 1942 she gave birth to their daughter Christina in Krakow. For a short time the family lived in Lviv. Maria Harasowska-Daczyszyn was a teacher of Sketch Art at the Lviv Trade School, and in 1942- 1944 they settled in Krakow. Here Maria was actively engaged in creative activity and painted a row of compositions and landscapes in oil. Her early works (Church of St. Barbara Pictura Translucida) are painted in the Byzantine style. Other paintings: Old Ukrainian Church, Church in Verbizhya, My Favourite Place, Courtyard In Autumn, Courtyard In Winter, as well as landscapes, portraits and still lifes are painted in Impressionist style. During her early period, the talented artist alreadymastered a wide range of artistic techniques and styles of expression. Her art style is precise and legible in each brush stroke. Her spirited performance, picturesque colours, and scenes filled with sunlight are recognisable and unforgettable. Maria was affected by the misfortunes of war in Europe. The town of Tchev was bombarded and she lost over one hundred paintings created for a personal exhibition. Maria’s husband Yurij had no choice but to move his family out of Poland. Yurij was detained by German forces in Krakow as a prisoner of war. Maria, her young daughter, sister Halyna, and brother Ostap fled Poland by train to Slovakia, through Yugoslavia and then came to Klinbrach, Germany. They awaited Yurij’s release while Maria made dolls and toys for orphaned children in exchange for food and housing. Upon Yurij’s arrival they settled in the Displaced Persons camp in Aschaffenburg, Germany. Mika was an energetic, vigorous, always smiling, joyful woman with blue eyes that never gave way to despair. She was very popular among