Ukranian artist living in Bedford unveils collection of paintings in Parliament

A Ukranian artist who fled to Bedford with her family last year has unveiled a collection of paintings at the opening of an art exhibition in Parliament.

Maria Tsymbal and her husband have been painting since arriving in UK – and say the kindness and care of the people they have met has inspired their creativity.

Maria told how her children were woken at 5am by a bomb explosion near their house when the invasion began last year.

She said: “Through the window looking over our city we saw planes fly and bomb our peaceful Nikolaev. We could not believe that a war had begun. The war forced us to leave everything - our home, people we loved, a creative business - and travel with one suitcase into obscurity."

But she added: “We really want people in trouble to see around them that the power of love can help you move. The power of love from the good people of the UK has helped us to swim, it helps us to live, and helps us to move on.”

The exhibition is being hosted by international aid organisation World Vision UK and sponsored by Jess Phillips MP and has now gone on tour to cathedrals across the UK.

The UNHCR estimates that there are now over eight million Ukrainian refugees across Europe in need of safety, protection, and support.

In addition to paintings by Maria, World Vision UK’s exhibition also showcases portraits of Ukrainian mothers and children forced to flee their homes by UK artist Hannah Rose Thomas, and drawings by Ukrainian children affected by the war. It aims to share stories of hope and highlight the impact of public donations.

Since the conflict began, World Vision has provided over 600,000 people, including more than 230,000 children, across Ukraine and neighbouring countries with food and cash assistance, temporary shelter, child protection programming, water and sanitation assistance, winterisation support, and education.

The exhibition also displays artwork by children aged 3 to 13 who attended summer holiday art classes at World Vision’s Happy Bubble centres in Romania. These centres offer activities and services for children and their mothers including informal education and mental health support.