What Is Ukraine?

DESCRIPTION Since the onset of the war in Ukraine, I have witnessed on several media outlets, 8 million Ukrainians left their homeland. About 90% of these refugees are women and children. What struck me most was the stoic looks on the women’s faces. The bravery among the groups was inspiring. I watched them rally around each other to protect their children. Younger women helped older women. Healthy women cared for sick women and children. Strong and capable women cooked and fed the hungry around them. They left in droves, holding their composure with little belongings from home. It was indeed a “mass-flight.” Just as delicate and vulnerable birds migrate to warmer weather every season, Ukrainian women flew to new lands far from home, far from their nest. The nest & egg symbolize the fragility of both Ukraine and its women and children. I wanted to create a sense of hope with this painting. Songbirds build many nests over their lifetime and use what is available to create a safe place for their young. My hope is that we can continue here in the United States, to support and provide resources for those displaced from their homeland of Ukraine, and those women and children abroad. New nests are being built all around the world by them, but they carry the love of their families and culture in their heart. May they continue building and find hope in their new homes. One day, they may even find their way back home under peaceful and stable conditions, just as migratory birds find their way back even after traveling thousands of miles. BIO My name is Leslie Campbell and I am a mixed media and assemblage artist, inspired by my travels here in the United States and overseas. I see my work evolving into more spiritual and ethereal themes. Now that I am living in the mountains of Tennessee, it has given me a new perspective on nature. These hills remind me that I AM nature. My intent is to help people remember that nature heals and that nurturing it will create better connections with ourselves, with other people and the “more-than-human world.” I love using nature as my muse and I want to help others bring nature into their homes with my paintings and sculptures. Follow Leslie on Instagram @ravenworks_studio

RESTORE UKRAINE

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