At Caerphilly Library, several paintings by Ukrainian artist Olesia Miftahova hang on the walls—works she donated to thank the community that supported her family. Olesia is a mother of three who arrived in Wales last year and has since established herself as an active member of the local arts community while gaining international recognition for her work.
Olesia’s story began like that of many Ukrainian families who faced an impossible choice in 2022. Despite their unwavering belief in Ukraine’s victory, the constant shelling and winter blackouts made daily life with three children increasingly dangerous. “We had to think about our three children,” Olesia reflects. “Ultimately, we decided that the most important thing was to preserve the life and health of our children, and that became the decisive factor in our decision to move.”
The early months in Wales brought their challenges. Olesia received support from her children, husband, the Ukrainian community, their host family, and the local Welsh community, though the emotional weight of leaving loved ones behind remained difficult. “The hardest thing is realizing that our relatives and loved ones remain under shelling in cities and at the front,” she shares.
For Olesia, a published poet in Ukraine, creativity had always been important. The crisis brought changes to her artistic practice. While she continues to write and perform poetry, Wales sparked a deeper connection to visual art. “It was in Britain that I realized that through painting I can express what words don’t have time to capture,” she explains. “This isn’t a rejection of poetry, but rather an expansion of my creative voice.”
This artistic transformation reflects how trauma can reshape not just what we create, but how we create. Her early work during the war was darker, more deformed, but gradually led to a search for new images and a different artistic voice. “Art is a form of internal therapy,” she notes, “but for me it’s not limited to that. There are themes that concern me and that I strive to raise in my work to make them visible.”
The turning point came through an unexpected venue: Caerphilly Library. What began as a community space became a place of power for Ukrainians and for Olesia personally. “It was there that one of the exhibitions took place that opened new doors for my art,” she recalls. “But what I love most is that it’s not just an exhibition space, but the heart of the community, where different people and cultures intersect. This is a place where creativity belongs to everyone.”
Recognition came through community connections. Local MP Chris Evans and councillor Jamie Pritchard supported her work, understanding the effort behind each exhibition. “This support makes exhibitions not only a creative, but also a socially significant experience,” Olesia acknowledges.
The transformation from struggling newcomer to established community member didn’t happen overnight. Over the past year, Olesia and her family realized several important projects with the local community. “When people see your sincere interest and willingness to create together, you stop being just a guest and find your true place,” she observes. Her genuine fascination with Welsh culture and desire to help popularize it created authentic connections that transcended the typical host-refugee dynamic.
Balancing motherhood with intensive artistic activity presents daily challenges, but Olesia views her children as her greatest driving force. “They don’t let me stop, they inspire and give emotional depth to my life and creativity,” she says. “For me, motherhood is simultaneously a challenge and a source of the purest emotions that help me move forward even in a new country.”
The practical aspects of managing both roles require careful planning and conscious attention to time. “Limited time forces me to value every free minute and use it as productively as possible for art,” she explains. Lists, schedules, and planning boards help organize time, but the key is approaching each moment mindfully.
Her children’s rapid adaptation to Welsh schools provided crucial emotional support for the entire family. Initially worried about language and cultural barriers, Olesia found that Welsh schools and social services are exceptionally well-organized, with teachers paying attention to each child and providing support. “Watching my children quickly integrate into the new environment, I felt confidence and peace,” she recalls.
The first solo exhibition, “Garden of Memory,” marked a pivotal transition from survival to truly living. The exhibition required enormous effort—physical, material, and moral—and involved many people. Her family and both Ukrainian and Welsh communities helped make the project a reality. “Starting life from scratch is always difficult: material limitations, language barriers, new standards,” she reflects. “But when you see that your work and the support of loved ones produces results, you understand that you’re not just surviving—you’re beginning to live.”
Success in the art world, Olesia believes, never comes by accident. Behind every sold work and exhibition stands labor, patience, and self-belief. Her paintings began selling through Saatchi Art, and invitations to international exhibitions followed. “Many artist friends have proven that only through effort and persistence can you see the first fruits of your creativity,” she notes.
Today, her works are being shown in Ukraine, Turkey, and throughout Britain. However, the refugee status remains a constant reality. “The war in Ukraine continues, and this constantly reminds us of the reality in which we live,” she acknowledges. The transition from refugee to international artist carries this complex duality—recognition alongside ongoing displacement.
The paintings donated to the library and local council represent more than artistic gifts, they’re expressions of gratitude. “These paintings are just a small thank you for all the enormous support and help that the library and local council provided and continue to provide to Ukrainians,” Olesia explains.
When asked about maintaining identity during radical life changes, Olesia emphasizes the importance of knowing your anchor points. “For me, it has always been my family and creativity,” she states simply. The combination of talent, luck, and persistence creates possibilities, but the foundation remains daily dedication and willingness to invest oneself in creative work.
For others facing similar circumstances—new country, children, uncertainty—her advice is practical yet profound: “When coming to a new country, it’s important to accept its rules and new reality, and try to find your own anchor point and support within that.”
The concept of home has evolved for Olesia. While Ukraine will always remain her home—where her relatives and roots are—the hospitality and kindness of the Welsh people have created a sense of belonging. “For me, home has always been about people and closeness to them,” she reflects. “I miss Ukraine very much, but the hospitality and goodwill of the Welsh help me feel almost at home here. Perhaps you can have several homes if your heart accepts these places and the people who fill them.”
Through her art, Olesia serves as a bridge between cultures. “Art is a universal language of souls,” she explains. “It allows direct communication, bypassing words and borders, and helps people from different countries feel each other and understand the world through emotions and images.”
Looking toward the future remains complicated for any Ukrainian, given the impossibility of making long-term plans during wartime. “Sometimes the path opens gradually when you take certain steps, and these small steps often lead to something greater than we can imagine,” she observes.
Her artistic statement reveals the philosophical depth underlying her visual work: exploring memory as roots, ancestral memory, and something that extends beyond the linear span of human life. Through her art, she investigates ideas of belonging, kinship, and essence, reflecting on how these layers of memory shape identity. Working primarily with pastel, she creates meanings that go far beyond words, encouraging viewers to feel their own hidden memories, joy, and sometimes the feeling of something familiar yet lost.
When asked to summarize her experience—how one can not just survive but flourish after losing everything familiar—Olesia offers practical wisdom: “Do what you can today, and your life will flourish where you’re meant to be.”
In less than a year, Olesia has moved from being a displaced person seeking safety for her children to an artist whose work is shown internationally. Her paintings at Caerphilly Library serve as a reminder of how community support and personal determination can create new opportunities, even in the most challenging circumstances.
By Viktor Moroz for Ukrainians.Wales
Published: September, 2025
