Drawing lilac with a friend.

I almost missed the lilac season - but thankfully, my regular drawing with a friend came to the rescue! We had a few days of warm weather during the week of this outing, and lilacs wilted faster than I expected. But I still got a couple of pages of them in my sketchbook! I enjoyed mixing gouache colors and painting with a dip pen and fingers. Also - having a good hour of chatting with a friend, being sniffed by passing dogs, smelling the flower of my childhood (my grandparents had a large white lilac bush, and my other grandmother planted a purple lilac bush for me under her window when I was little).

Daily reports in the form of the portraits - war in Ukraine. April 17, 18, 19, 2022

Kharkiv is being shelled every day by russian army since February 24, 2022. 

April 17, 2022, Day 53.
We are remembering funny expressions in the Ukrainian and russian languages and discussing how our perception of poets and authors is based on their works and probably has nothing to do with the real people. The sky on this day was beautiful but foreboding. Dad saw a stork! 

April 18, 2022, Day 54.
More shelling in Kharkiv, very close to their place now (part of the family lives there now), they lost power and internet for some time, but heroes of the city restored everything within 24 hours. Conversation returns to the parts of Kharkiv that are destroyed, and we agree that one of the most positive ways of thinking about it is to imagine how much better the new city will be: smarter logistically, greener. Framing is everything!

April 19, 2022, Day 55.
My parents are making friends with the locals: two cats came and ate what was prepared for the dog (everything but the carrots). Parents tell me about their day - it looks a lot like mine: we start by checking with people - how is everyone, our large family and many friends. We check on all inside Ukraine first, starting with those in the worst places. Then we move to those who are outside - everyone is displaced. Kharkiv is shelled non-stop, my school building got hit two days ago, my Dad went there too. It is raining and the weather is cold. We talk about why wet rocks and leaves look prettier than dry ones.

Daily reports in the form of the portraits - war in Ukraine. April 15-16, 2022

Kharkiv is being shelled every day by russian army since February 24, 2022. 

April 15, 2022, Day 51.
Ther report on the house plants and how many circles Dad made around the house. We discuss which parts of Kharkiv were bombed and exchange news from family and friends. The weather is supposed to be bad - but they hope that it means that russian army has a hard time going on the offensive. Mom says that when she wakes up it takes time to bring back all the new reality - it comes in layers.

April 16, 2022, Day 52.
We discuss upcoming holiday celebrations, and Mom remembers how my grandma (who was now allowed to attend church all her adult life) took my Mom to look at the lights on Easter. We talk about how hard it is to read books now and what are our requirements: light, no violence, short, easy. We discuss how much reading news and social media squeezed our literature reading time, and parents argue about some bloggers and their influence. Mom can cry now - a little more. It was very hard before - a little easier now. 

A family of tapirs or a family who loves tapirs

I am making a series of illustrations with animals that come up in my conversations with my parents. Many of these start while we are talking so I end up with many versions - some of them even become stickers - see my latest sketchbook cover below! 

Somehow tapirs got a lot of votes! Text on the page says: With the nose like this one you cannot be a carnivore",  Mom.

And another page contains parts of our conversations about the war - during our video call. 

Daily reports in the form of the portraits - war in Ukraine. April 12-13, 2002

These were the first conversations and first portraits I drew of my parents after they temporarily relocated out of their apartment in Kharkiv, Ukraine. 

The city is being shelled every day by russian army since February 24, 2022.

April 12, 2022, Day 48.
Though they are not that far away, the road took a long time and was complicated by destroyed bridges, anti-tank hedgehogs, and many block-posts. But it was also filled with good people who tried to help. One of the things that don't stop amazing me in this whole situation is how much people are trying to help each other.

April 13, 2022. Day 49.
They report that the day went well and list all the things that they decided to bring with them (on top of the list that we discussed before) and all the things that they are missing now. They tell me a story about a friend who was no longer a friend because of his love for putin - and how a rocket in his backyard changed his opinion completely. "He needs new windows - but at least the brains are getting less foggy!" - says Dad.