Artisan Of The Month: Oleksandr Dekhtiarenko – The Yurich

Yesterday, I randomly came across this artisan’s shop and was instantly thrilled. Since supporting artists and creatives is something I care deeply about, I spontaneously decided to establish an ‘Artisan Of The Month’ section here on Rauchfahne. The only requirement is that their creations must, in some way, be related to incense.
There won’t really be a new artisan or artist every month, but I like the idea of ​​having a place where I can provide a platform for interesting artisans and their work.

So, here he is, February 2025’s Artisan Of The Month:

Oleksandr Dekhtiarenko

Ukrainian artist and designer Oleksandr Dekhtiarenko has been a professional in his field for over 30 years. His main occupation is teaching children to draw, working with around 80 students each year.

In his spare time, he carves hairpins, knife handles, pendants, and other small items from deer and elk antlers. The animals shed their antlers in winter, which then can be collected in the wild. With the support of his wife Natalia, he sells his creations in his Etsy shop, The Yurich. Recently, he made a small selection of incense holders, which was reason enough for me to feature him here.

My personal favourite is this beautifully detailed carving of a bird in a dynamic pose.

Images provided by Natalia & Oleksandr Dekhtiarenko.