He arrived in Canada from Ukraine in 2000, fuelled by the promise of artistic opportunity and success
As both immigrant and artist, he
defied the odds by achieving success and recognition immediately
following his arrival into Canada.
But 12 years later, Oleh Valenyuk
died unexpectedly and virtually penniless, leaving his family unable to
pay his funeral costs and Toronto’s Ukrainian artistic community without
one of its most prolific creators.