AN artist from Ukraine has held an exhibition of her work at a Downend church.
Marina Volkodavova now lives in Staple Hill, having left her home country after the Russian invasion of 2022, and took up drawing and painting just a few months ago.
Marina left her home city of Donetsk in 2014 after the first Russian invasion, then had to move from her next home in the Dnipropetrovsk region in 2022.
She said he had dreamed of being an artist as a child but her family could not afford the equipment and, after having a family she hid her dream “far away on a shelf in my soul”.
Marina was given an album and a set of acrylic paints by a friend she made after arriving in the UK, but then suffered a heart attack.
After a long period of convalescence, she says she started draw last December, after having a dream where God called on her to bring bright colours to the world.
Marina said: “For me every picture brings peace…it’s just a desire to live and gives a small piece of warmth in these paintings.”
She says some of her paintings are childlike, looking back to her childhood dreams, and says her message for others is: “Don’t be afraid to start something new – create!”
Marina’s exhibition is being held at Christ Church Downend until April 13, with paintings and cards on sale to support children’s services at the church and Ukrainian charities.