On February 12, 2020, an opening of a unique retrospective exhibition “A Studio of linocut of Leonid Bondar” dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the opening of Art School named after O.O.Osmerkin in the town of Kropyvnytskyi was held in O.O.Osmerkin Art-Memorial Museum. The exhibition was opened within the museum art project Gallery of Children’s Art.
    Leonid Ivanovych Bondar (1938-2013) is one of the creative founders of the school. Merited Cultural Worker of Ukraine, a member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine, a laureate of the Regional Award in Fine Art and Study of Art named after Oleksandr Osmerkin. In 1960, after graduation from Symferopol State Art College named after M.S.Samokysh was sent to our town. He worked in Children Art School as a teacher, deputy principal, and for more than 20 years as a principal. As an artist has been in a constant creative search, which brightly reflects his artistic talent in painting and graphic art.Taught many generations of talented artists, many of whom became members of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine, laureates of regional, all-Ukrainian, and international competitions.
    The jubilee exhibition, which was organized on the initiative of the current principal of the school Hanna Tymofiienko, presents 26 creative works from the collection of demonstrative pupils’ works created in the 1980s in the technique of color linocut under the supervision of Leonid Bondar. Even though young artists didn’t sign the works, thee linocuts from the series: Folk Traditions, To the Trade Fair!, World of Fairy Tales, and Cozy Household brightly demonstrate a high professional level of teaching in the art school and prove the uniqueness of the skills of the Fine Art teacher Leonid Bondar.
    The deputy head of the Department of Culture and Tourism of the City Council of the town of Kropyvnytskyi Nelia Chorna congratulated the pupils and teachers of the school on the exhibition opening. She noted that the exhibited pupils’ works are created in bright, crimson-orange colors fill with warmth and optimism. Exactly these features were common to Leonid Bondar who shared his fascination and love for fine art with children.
    The leading researcher of the museum, Merited Artist of Ukraine Andrii Nadezhdin, and the school principal Hanna Tymofiienko shared their memories about their teacher and the creative lessons in the linocut studio. Their emotional speeches didn’t leave anyone indifferent. The best pupils of the school received a gift from the museum – a themed booklet of the exhibition with the reproductions of linocuts and a historical photograph of Leonid Bondar when conducting a lesson for his pupils. The museum director Vita Chernova handed Appreciation Certificate for the active participation in the organization and conduct of the common art and exhibition projects and cultural and art event to the school principal Hanna Tymofiienko.
    Young artists examined the exhibited creative works made by their peers more than 30 years ago in the unfamiliar technique with great interest. With absorbed attention, they listened to the comments of their teachers and artists who came to the exhibition opening.