Colour and Courage: A New Exhibition in Cornwall
This month I am opening a new exhibition at St Stephen's Church, Saltash, Cornwall, UK.
Colour and Courage brings together two bodies of work that sit at the heart of what I do as an artist: six botanical originals inspired by the subtropical gardens I love, alongside 18 watercolour portraits from my ongoing Ukraine series. The exhibition runs from 28 to 31 May, open daily from 2 to 6pm. Entry is free.
The opening evening is Thursday 28 May at 7pm, with Ukrainian Singers Plymouth performing on the night. There will be a raffle and refreshments, and a collection in support of Ukraine.
The Portraits
I began painting Ukrainian faces in May 2022, moved and shocked by what I was seeing, and unable to find any other response. I painted soldiers and civilians, the elderly and the very young, capturing moments of grief, defiance, and quiet endurance. I have now completed 295 portraits.
The series was first shown publicly at Truro Cathedral in August 2024, where it was featured by the BBC and ITV. This exhibition includes more recent work painted in the months since, some of it never shown before, among them a mother embracing her son after a Ukraine-Russia prisoner exchange, families gathering for Easter in the fifth year of war, and an elderly woman taken to safety after a perilous evacuation from her home.
Among the portraits is a painting of Eva, a young girl from Vilkhivka who sheltered with her family in their basement with no heating, electricity or water in the early days of the war. Throughout, she painted. Her mother shared Eva's story with me directly.
Also featured is a portrait of an elderly woman being carried to safety after a perilous evacuation from her home in Costiantynivka, one of many civilians whose quiet endurance runs through this series.
There is also a portrait of Chris Parry, the 28-year-old Cornish volunteer who was killed by the Wagner Group in 2023 after rescuing more than 400 civilians trapped on the frontline. His story is told in the award-winning BBC documentary Hell Jumper, available on BBC iPlayer. I painted his portrait from a photograph given to me personally by his parents, Rob and Christine. At the opening evening, I will be presenting them with a print.
Painting Chris felt like the greatest honour I could offer. He was one of ours, and his courage deserves to be remembered here in Cornwall.
About the Series
The Ukraine portrait series was previously exhibited at Truro Cathedral in August 2024, where it was featured by the BBC and ITV.
Visit
Colour and Courage St Stephen's Church, Saltash, Cornwall 28 to 31 May, 2 to 6pm daily Free entry
Opening evening Thursday 28 May at 7pm, featuring Ukrainian Singers Plymouth. Raffle and refreshments on the night. A collection will be taken in support of Ukraine.
Postcards available to purchase at the exhibition, with all proceeds going to Cornwall & Devon Sending Love to Ukraine.
