Smiling sunflowers

Original watercolor painting of a little Ukrainian girl surrounded with sunflowers, mixed technique.
When a full-scale war against Ukraine started, I had a hard time with painting. Nothing felt ok. There was no inspiration nor interest in anything. My heart was breaking and it was very difficult to find the way out. A few months into the invasion I started to feel like I need an outlet, something warm and kind and peaceful. This is how my collection of Ukrainian portraits was born.

Every girl and woman here is a symbol of hope & kindness wrapped in the best Ukrainian traditions. They also represent my desire for peace, kindness, warmth, and positivity. I want to create a collection of traditional Ukrainian beauty and share my love for the country this way.

Sunflowers are iconic flowers of Ukraine and so this little smiling girl is bathing in them. In hope and in sunlight. This painting is performed in a mixed technique, watercolor and pen, which brings out the playfulness of the portrait.