Olha Laptieva is an independent artist who recently arrived in Sanquhar from Kyiv, (Ukraine). Painting is Olha’s passion, her life’s work. Olha began to paint professionally at a mature age and so time is of special value, encouraging Olha to work hard and quickly. Olha’s direction is guided by nature and flowers, painting with oil on canvas in her own distinctive style, which resembles a watercolour technique. Over time Olha has developed a real passion for portraying people and showing beauty in “ordinary” things around us. Olha’s inspiration comes from observing natural scenes and events.
Olha’s works are available in many private collections around the world following participation in painting symposia and many exhibitions in Ukraine. At the XIII and XIV International Exhibition-Competition Ukrainian Art Week, Olha’s works took first place in the “Still Life” nomination.
Olha writes, “Now I’m in Scotland after a long journey. My daughter Anna and I left home on the first day of the war. Then there were stop-overs in several cities in the west of Ukraine and in the Czech Republic and Paris. We stopped with familiar and unfamiliar people, but they all helped us along the journey. And here we are in the small town of Sanquhar, where we will live for several months.
We came here under the UK Government’s programme of assistance to Ukrainians. The place seemed beautiful to me, but harsh and alien. I became sad that I was now in a foreign country and that I would not see my relatives soon, my house was destroyed, and the war would last for a long time. But life goes on.
Our sponsor David Rushton of MERZ Gallery, helps us to adapt and realise our creativity. We visit exhibitions and the workshops of Scottish artists. I am also taking part in my first exhibition in Scotland as part of the centenary exhibition of the Dumfries & Galloway Fine Arts Society open at Gracefield from July 9th. Here I show paintings of flowers. The magnificence of nature heals and inspires me and flowers bring joy to everyone.”
