Her first portrait was of a Ukrainian woman called Valentina, whose back yard had just been hit by artillery. Louise posted it on Instagram four days after the invasion.
Little did she know the impact her portraits would have. Right from that first painting, the response was overwhelming. She started to get messages from the wives, mothers, daughters, husbands, fathers, sons, and friends of the people she'd painted. They wanted to thank her for "not forgetting" about Ukraine, and to ask if they could have prints of the paintings. Some of her paintings were also featured online by Vogue UA, Elle UA and Ukraine Artists on Instagram.
And then, something quite remarkable happened: "Ukrainians have been sending me photographs they have taken, asking if I would paint them," said Louise. "One woman sent me a photo that she took of her two-year-old daughter on the second day of the war. It was taken in the basement of their house in the Kharkiv region. They had no electricity, no heating, no water and outside, the Russian army was all around them. In the photograph, her daughter is painting by candlelight, wrapped up against the cold.
"Other people have sent me photos of family members who have died in the war. One woman sent me a photo of her father who died near Bakhmut, asking me if I could paint it. That was very moving." Louise spotted a video on social media of one of the defenders of Mariupol being reunited with his wife after he was released from Russian captivity. Her painting of the couple, inspired by the short clip, brought this message from the woman: "You have painted one of the most important moments of my life."
Denne historien er fra August 16, 2024-utgaven av The Herald.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra August 16, 2024-utgaven av The Herald.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
'SIGNIFICANT' RULES BREACH
FA REVEAL REASONS FOR 45,000 PITCH INVASION FINE
Rooney explains lack of action for Rami AI Hajj
WAYNE Rooney has given his reasons why Rami AI Hajj has not featured much for Plymouth Argyle lately as they have found points hard to come by in the Championship.
Gyabi: We are going to need the Green Army by our side for the rest of the season’
MIDFIELDER Darko Gyabi has spoken about the importance of the support of the Green Army to Plymouth Argyle's players ahead of the away game against Bristol City today.
FA Cup third round draw details
PLYMOUTH Argyle will find out their Emirates FA Cup third round opponents when the draw takes place on Monday, December 2.
Food banks should never be the norm
BUT FOR NOW, THEY REMAIN VITAL TO MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN BRITAIN
MPs in historic vote for assisted dying Bill
ASSISTED dying could be legalised in England and Wales after a historic vote saw proposed legislation clear its first hurdle in Parliament.
Haigh resigned after further info emerged’ No.10
DOWNING Street declined to say whether the Prime Minister knew about Louise Haigh's criminal conviction and said that \"further information\" had come to light before her resignation.
Gregg Wallace facing more accusations
GREGG Wallace has been accused of making \"lesbian jokes\" and \"highly inappropriate\" comments in the latest of a string of complaints made against the TV presenter by people who claim to have worked with him.
World gets first look at restored Notre-Dame
THE restored interior of Notre Dame Cathedral has been unveiled for the first time after more than five years of reconstruction work.
David takes a rest after 37 years of shear effort
A GARDENER is hanging up his shears after almost 40 years helping to tend a beautiful ten-acre garden on the edge of Dartmoor. David Milburn has spent 37 years at The Garden House near Yelverton.
