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Orest Semchishen is widely recognized as one of Canada’s finest documentary photographers. He is best known for his photographs of Byzantine churches in rural areas of Alberta of which this collection is comprised.

Orest Semchishen was born at Mundare, Alberta in 1932). A radiologist by profession, Semchishen took up photography initially as a hobby. In the early 1970s, after taking University of Alberta extension classes, he turned to documentary work and since that time has continued to work in the classic documentary tradition. Probably the most important influence on his work is the American photographer Walker Evans, although Semchishen's vision has its own distinct personality and the wide-ranging scope of his work and its comprehensiveness recalls the achievement of the great French photographer Eugène Atget.

Beginning with a survey of Alberta's Byzantine rite churches that were a part of his Ukrainian heritage, Semchishen's oeuvre has expanded to encompass rural communities, city business districts and markets, ethnic groups, fur trappers and prairie farms. In the process he has developed an increasingly sophisticated vision and technique: his prints are marvels of brilliance and tonal balance. He has compiled an extraordinary record of Canadian life, centered on the Prairies but extending across the country. Semchishen no longer produces his photographic work making this collection even more valuable.

A resident of Edmonton, Orest Semchishen's works are represented in public collections including those of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, the Art Gallery of Alberta, The Glenbow Alberta Institute and the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography. The Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography, located in the nation's capital, is Canada's only federal institution devoted solely to the collection, exhibition and promotion of the photographic medium. As such, it is the country's foremost advocate of artistic and documentary photography.

Ivan Honchar was a prominent Ukrainian activist, sculptor, artist. He was born on January 27 1911 in Lyp'ianka village of Kirovohrad region (today the village is part of the Cherkasy region). He studied art, drawing and sculpture the Kyiv Art and Industrial Professional School and graduated as a sculptor-decorator. While in school, he was renting a room from Maksym Korostash, a musicologist and folklorist. There he met Klymentii Kvitka and Olena Pchilka.

Honchar created numerous sculptures and monuments in many cities and villages across Ukraine. In 1960s-80s he created art albums with photographs and descriptions of folk costumes from different regions of Ukraine, architecture, folk art. Honchar did ethnographic fieldwork, and in 1970-1993 he created 18 volumes of historical-ethnographic albums "Ukraina i ukraintsi" [Ukraine and Ukrainians] based on photographs of the beginning of the 20th century and historical and ethnographic research.

He passed away June 18, 1993. In September of that year, a museum named after Ivan Honchar was created in Kyiv. His private collection of folk art became a foundation for the new museum. In 1999, the museum was renamed the Ukrainian Centre of Folk Culture "Ivan Honchar Museum". In 2009, it became a national museum.

Olha was a student at the University of Alberta.

Helen Savaryn was a student in the UKR 422 course in the fall term of 1979. At the time, she was in the fourth year of her Bachelor of Education in Music degree.

A renown artist and photographer, David Goberman was born in 1912 in Minsk. He studies in the Leningrad Academy of Arts. He is especially famous for his photographs of Jewish tombstones and Hucul ceramics. In 1950s he travelled across Ukraine and Moldova and photographed material culture, cemeteries, everyday life, and people.

Nick was born in the village of Shepenets in Bukovyna, on February 5, 1907 where he learned to play the dulcimer (cymbaly) at the age of 8. His uncle, a professional bandmaster, taught Nick the fundamentals of the instrument and he joined his uncle playing weddings and parties around the countryside. By the age of 12 years Nick Mischi was considered a professional by many musicians in Ukraine. In 1928 Nick left his homeland and immigrated to Canada. Having left his dulcimer with his uncle, Nick purchased another in Winnipeg in 1930. Nick Mischi played with a variety of orchestras in and around Winnipeg before moving west to Edmonton in the 1930's. His early career was limited because he moved across western Canada. Each place he lived, Nick picked up his dulcimer and joined a local band. Over the 77 years of his playing career, 63 he contributed in Edmonton and Central Alberta. Some of the musicians Nick played with in and around Edmonton are: Bill Boychuk (Easy Aces), Joe Trachyk (The Marango's), Peter Kassian (Sons of the Ukrainian Pioneers), Ron Lakustra's Orchestra.

As early as the 1930's Nick played on a variety of radio stations. In the 1950's Nick Mischi entertained radio audiences in the Edmonton area on radio shows, which were started by Henry Smichure on C.F.R.N. and C.H.F.A. radios. These programs were live at sponsors premises as well as live shows at the radio studios. When C.F.C.W. radio started their "Ukrainian Hour" program some 33 years ago, Nick was asked to preform many times.

Judging dulcimer competitions for many years, in places like Lakeview Pavilion, Red Barn, Vegreville Pysanka Festival and Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, in which he competed as well, Nick won many first place trophies and earned a reputation as one of Alberta's finest dulcimer (cymbaly) players.

Throughout the years during his playing career Nick cut many records with different orchestra's. His favourite was "Dulcimer in Concert" which was recorded with a nine piece Chamber Orchestra from the University of Alberta. Some of these records were sold across Canada.

Nick Mischi retired from playing with orchestras in 1986 but was still active teaching young people, some from as far away as Calgary, Alberta, to play the dulcimer and to carry on the tradition of ethnic Ukrainian music in Western Canada.

On August 30, 1992 Nick Mischi was one of many competitors at the Ukrainian Music festival held at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village. First place performance in the master category by the 85 year young Nick Mischi on his dulcimer (cymbaly), an overwhelmed audience of over 400 people gave Nick a standing ovation. The Festival was hosted by Johnny Bohonos of C.F.C.W.'s radio "Ukrainian Hour".

In 1993 Nick Mischi appeared as one of the guest artists in two concerts at the Annual Vegreville Pysanka Festival 1993, and was applauded loudly by the audience. The same year Nick also took part at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village during Ukrainian Day, entertaining audiences.

Nick Mischi was a talented dulcimer musician. He played by ear, keeping alive the unwritten music for dulcimer. Nick passed away in 2006.

Leanne Buzak is a singer in Viter Ukrainian Folk Choir, and an active member in the Edmonton Ukrainian Community.

Nadia Cyncar was born in Ukraine. She came to Edmonton in 1948. Nadia studied Ukrainian language and literature, History of Textiles and Ukrainian Folklore at the University of Alberta. She graduated with B.A. (Honours) in Slavic Linguistics in 1978.

Nadia Cyncar is an honourary Life Member of the Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League of Canada. Since 1963, member of the Eparchial UCWLC Museum Committee, served as secretary, a chairperson and a curator since 2009. Designed and conducted the embroidery of the “Unity Rushnyk” for the 65 Jubilee of UCWLC. She organized exhibits of Ukrainian Folk Art, contest and fashion shows, held workshops on Ukrainian Arts & crafts, costumes for dancing groups, led seminars on Ukrainian tradition and customs; was involved to judge various contests. Nadia designed costumes for opera “KUPALO”, historical costumes for the float and Ukrainian theme designs for Papal Visit Banners. In 1977-1982 she served on the Advisory Board of the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village.

Nadia Cyncar is a co-founder of Edmonton Plast (Ukrainian Scouts Organization) in 1948, held various executive positions at the organization, and for the last several decades served as an Archivist/Librarian.

Larisa Sembaliuk Cheladyn is an accomplished artist who has had the opportunity to create and exhibit her work around the world. She was born in Edmonton. At the age of 6 her parents enrolled her in art classes offered by the Edmonton Art Gallery, where her first instructor, “Man Woman”, encouraged her to continually explore the mediums at hand. Sembaliuk Cheladyn was also inspired by her father, Paul Sembaliuk - the designer of the large Vegreville Pysanka – who had a gift for interpreting cultural traditions within a contemporary environment. Sembaliuk Cheladyn graduated with her BFA in Art & Design (1981) and her MA in Ukrainian Folklore (2016) from the University of Alberta. She is best known for her watercolour paintings of flowers – poppies, sunflowers and endangered species are her specialty. As a 3rd generation Ukrainian Canadian she particularly enjoys painting images from her Ukrainian cultural heritage. Her unique depiction of Ukrainian dance, musical instruments, and typical Ukrainian imagery recreates fond memories of rich cultural traditions. Sembaliuk Cheladyn is also well known for illustrating a Canadian bestselling series of bilingual Ukrainian/English children’s books published by Kazka Productions.