Ukraine artist: 'I could help people who've experienced the same nightmares'
Imagine the unimaginable. You are a successful artist, living a life full of creativity and colour, you share your skills with others in the community, then suddenly your whole world turns upside down as Russia invades your country.
Three months ago 31-year-old fine arts teacher Natasha Siukhina arrived in Newbury after fleeing her home town of Sumy in the north east of Ukraine, close to the Russian border, leaving loved-ones behind.
Natasha, a Ukraine university graduate, has had solo exhibitions of her abstract landscapes and portraits and her works can be found in Norway, US, Italy and Ukraine.
“I paint portraits with pastels in a photo-realistic style and abstract landscapes with watercolours. I have also taught drawing at masterclasses for children and adults and like to experiment with different materials.”
She loves to craft too. “I love handmade. I get great satisfaction from working with my hands and teaching others to do so.”
When the war came to Ukraine, Natasha’s life changed dramatically. Until then, creativity had been her main anti-stress tool.
“At home, there was an unfinished painting that I started on February 23, the day before the attack from Russia began. From that day on, I couldn’t draw any more for almost six months.
“When I looked at my pictures, I couldn’t believe that I had ever painted them. My hands started to shake a lot and I couldn’t draw like before.
“I also often heard the sounds of explosions, I hid in the basement, it was very scary.”
Deeply traumatised, Natasha is now trying to start painting again. She finds inspiration in rock music, interesting creative people and nature and is currently very inspired by British landscapes and ancient architecture. “I recently got a bike and am very happy to be able to travel around Newbury. I often take watercolours with me and paint landscapes or take photographs.”
For now, Natasha is trying to regain the level of skills and knowledge that she had before the start of the war. And although she has come into contact with a couple of Newbury artists, she needs the support of the local creative community as she experiences the physical and psychological effects of trauma and upheaval. “Art helps me cope with it. I also want to help others get rid of their psychological traumas.”
To that end, Natasha plans to hold free masterclasses for Ukrainian children and is looking for help with art materials, particularly watercolour brushes.
“A month after I arrived here, I spent several days drawing with a nine-year-old Ukrainian girl. She didn’t sleep well, she dreamed of burning houses and explosions, but after drawing with me she began to have good dreams.
“It inspired me. I thought that I could help people who have experienced the same nightmares as me.”
Right now Natasha is working hard on learning English and would eventually like to run classes for all. Looking positively to the future, she dreams of exhibiting her work again, selling her paintings and painting to commission.
Take a look at Natasha's work on
Facebook - https://m.facebook.com/NatashaSiukhina
Instagram - natasha_siukhina
If you are an artist or a creative group who would like to reach out to Natasha please contact N2 via trish.lee@newburynews.co.uk and we will pass your contact details on.
