Sometimes, a piece of artwork comes along and it just resonates with people. Sometimes, it's the story behind the art itself, and sometimes it's both. The arts are often used as a personal means of expression and creativity, but historically, they have also been used as a means of expressing political, religious, or social issues. This article about the Ukrainian artist, Maria Prymachenko, was featured in CNN's The Good Stuff newsletter, which arrives in my inbox every Saturday morning. The picture of the artwork initially attracted my eye, as I am personally drawn to what is known in the art world as, "naive art". Currently however, there is much more to this painting than just what meets the eye. You should really read the whole article on the link provided above, but a quick synopsis is that some of Prymachenko's paintings were displayed in the Ivankiv Museum in Ukraine. This museum was reported to have been bombed and burned in late February 2022 due to the Russian invasion. While on the surface, there is nothing "good new-ish" about this story, there actually is a bit of good in it. A very courageous man ran into the museum and saved some of the artworks from the damage and destruction. And now, this little known painting has become a symbol for the world, with people passing the story along, and some cities recreating the image itself as a form of public art and protest. Universally of course, the symbol of the dove itself, stands for what we are all surely wondering where to find these days--PEACE. Instead, we are all left wondering what has happened, what to think, what to do, how to help? While we may not be among the group of individuals who can make the decisions that need to be made to stop the war in Ukraine right now, we are not completely powerless. There are places that need our donations, local restaurants are donating their profits, and many organizations are selling items towards helping Ukraine. Do what you can, what you are able. But certainly, one thing we are all able to do is spread the story of this artwork and have the message not be in vain. If that one courageous soul could run into danger to try to save some paintings, we can certainly pass this story along to others. In some small way, we can become part of something bigger. Please pass this post or the story links along to someone else--even to just one person that you know. In doing so, the symbol of a simple dove painted by one Ukrainian woman, can help inspire a world that is longing for peace.
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