I was an art tutor in Kyiv - now Cork is home

JUST over a year ago, Tetiana Milshyna was teaching watercolour painting in her home city of Kyiv. Then Russia invaded Ukraine - on her birthday no less - and her life was upended.

Now the professional artist and painting teacher is hosting an art exhibition in Mallow, after fleeing to Cork from war-torn Ukraine and making the county her home.

Tetiana, 32, came to Cork to live with a host family, the Cotters, and her exhibition opened at Mallow Library on March 4 and will run until March 15.

“I was born in Kyiv and have been painting since my childhood,” says Tetiana. 

“I got a professional education in Fine Art at Boris Grinchenko University, Kyiv. I got a Master Degree there.”

She was in demand.

“While studying, I started taking commissions. Before the war in Ukraine, I taught watercolour painting to adults in Art Hall Studio in Kyiv. These sessions included courses of botanical illustration, landscape painting, travel sketching, facilitated workshops, and I worked as a freelance artist and illustrator.”

Life changed suddenly for Tetiana and her family when Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

“February 24 is actually my birthday. So you can imagine that I didn’t expect rockets as a gift!” she says. 

“I planned to bake something delicious for a party with my colleagues, but instead my family and I had to do some hard thinking.”

Their situation was perilous.

“My parents and I lived on a 14th floor so it was dangerous to stay there,” says Tetiana.

“Within days we left our apartment for another district and a smaller apartment. While we were there, my sister and her boyfriend still stayed in their own flat, separately from us.”

Things were scary.

“We heard explosions and shooting. We couldn’t go outside freely and we went to the shop when it was quiet between attacks and alarms.”

The Milshynas couldn’t believe what was happening.

“We still hoped the attacks were a mistake,” says Tetiana. “That it couldn’t be for long; there couldn’t be a real war in the 21st century almost in the middle of Europe!”

But reality soon sank in.

“Russian troops were near Kyiv already and we started realising we needed to leave,” says Tetiana.

“That time a family friend phoned asking my father to help him and his family to escape Kyiv. They lived in the suburbs with a child and saw how Russian troops were advancing. They heard shooting and explosions constantly day and night and they couldn’t stay in Kyiv anymore.

“The man got a key to an old house in a small village in south-west Ukraine, but he didn’t have a car. He asked my father to drive them to that house and asked us to stay with them there. My sister and her boyfriend decided to go with us as well. Her boyfriend had just bought a car; it was his first time outside the city.

“We travelled for several hours, choosing the safest roads,” Tetiana recalls. “The house where we arrived was old and it had been uninhabited for a few years, but was still strong and not in bad condition at all.

“Together we cleaned and tidied it. Neighbours in the village shared their food supplies and household items with us and even found us two beds so we didn’t have to sleep on the floor. That time it was safer to be there than in Kyiv. But sometimes we heard explosions and military planes passing. I spent about three weeks in that house.”

Then came the chance of sanctuary in Ireland for Tetiana, courtesy of a friend from Kviv who had settled here.

“All that time, my Irish friend Natalie was trying to persuade me to leave Ukraine,” says Tetiana. 

“We know each other for about seven years. Natalie was born in Kyiv as well and we had kept in contact through the internet for years. We met in Kyiv several times and once travelled together to Andalusia”

The women bonded and kept in touch after Natalie met and married a Corkman, John Paul Cotter, and settled here.

“Natalie is my best friend and I knew she and John Paul would be glad to see me. She wrote and phoned me every day to know how we were.”

Tetiana was contemplating heading to Ireland.

“It was a hard decision because I love my family and didn’t want to start a new life anywhere,” she says. “But it was a kind of temptation because Ireland was calling me.”

Why?

“I started being interested in it a long time ago, even before I came here,” says Tetiana.

“I liked Irish nature, the appearance of its towns, houses and people; it’s history.”

She became more familiar with Ireland’s landscape.

“I asked my friend to take photographs of all the places where she went and I painted Ireland from them,” says Tetiana. “I was thinking; what if I go there?”

One door closes, another opens.

“It is very sad and tragic, but this war gave me a chance to see Ireland with my own eyes and to be closer to my friend,” says Tetiana. “So finally Natalie convinced me to come to Cork.”

What was the journey like?

“It was not easy,” says Tetiana. “My father helped me to find a way to get to Ireland from our village. We found guys who were driving from Khmelnitsky, a small town nearby, to the city of Lviv in western Ukraine. From there I needed to catch a bus to Warsaw.

“My father dropped me to Khmelnitsky. We went with my mom and sister and it was our last meeting,” says Tetiana. “Then I went to Lviv and Warsaw where I was met by the family of Natalie’s Polish friend, Teresa. They drove me from Warsaw to a tiny, beautiful town called Chiehochinek. In that house a lot of people gathered together; Natalie, her Polish friend, Teresa, her Ukrainian niece Kateryna, me, and all of Teresa’s family.”

Tetiana was among friends.

“I am very grateful to all of these people, and to Polish people in general for their invaluable help, support and generosity to us. We were complete strangers.”

A week later Tatiana, Natalie and her niece Teresa arrived in Cork.

What is life like now for Tetiana?

“I have been living in Ireland for less than a year. I share the house with Natalie, her husband, John Paul, and Kateryna.

“As it turned out, John is experienced in sales and marketing and he has been more than helpful. He helps me organise art exhibitions in Cork city and county and supports all my work. He has also become a great friend. I had an English course in Cork and I became much more confident speaking with him and other native speakers.”

Tetiana soon felt right at home.

“I also became a member of Cork’s Sample Studios and am grateful to them, and particularly Aobhain McCarthy, Artistic Director of Sample Studios. They helped me organise my first exhibition in Ireland last summer and it was a great success.”

What about her family?

“They are still in Ukraine,” says Tetiana. “They moved back to Kyiv. Russian troops were pushed away from Kyiv and I think now it is the most protected area in the country.

"My family returned to their jobs and are trying to continue with their lives despite all attacks, alarms and trouble with electricity.”

Life is good here for Tetiana.

“I travel around Ireland, paint a lot, have exhibitions and take commissions. I have produced two series of paintings; Light Above the Waves about Irish lighthouses and fantasy cartoon-like Tales of Hills and Waves about Irish counties.

“Mallow Library is currently displaying a selection of watercolours regarding Co. Cork and the town of Mallow in particular.”

Something magical happens when Tetiana paints.

“Irish nature seems to be like a fairytale,” she says. “I want to paint everything I see! I am looking forward to staying in Ireland and getting to know the country and its people even better.”

John Paul Cotter said: “Tetiana has been our family friend for several years and has been Natalya’s online art tutor in that time. Natalya and Tetiana came from Kyiv.

“When the war started, we invited her to come and stay in our home. She arrived in March, 2022. She attended an English course at Griffith College for six months.

“I help Tetiana set up exhibitions at various locations, especially in libraries in Cork city and county. We are both great admirers of Tetiana’s art and treasure her friendship.

“We felt privileged to show her our beautiful Ireland and then see her growing love for our country expressed in her works.

“By the way, we just celebrated Tetiana’s 32nd birthday where she showcased another great talent; cooking!”