About the artists

Artists Alanna Berman and Lindsay Moraczewski are two friends who met while teaching fine arts in Howard County, MD. Berman is a visual artist and art teacher. After studying Illustration at Rhode Island School for Design she became interested in working with communities to use art as an empowering tool of self expression and problem solving. Much of her own work focuses on creating a circular economy that reuses waste through art. Moraczewski, a music teacher and more recently a teachers’ union strategist, has loved art all her life, particularly its ability to convey powerful messages in a succinct way. As a hobbyist, she spends a little time each week drawing, painting, sketching, and sculpting.

Inspiration

Like many around the world, Berman and Moraczewski were shocked and horrified by the indiscriminate devastation caused by the Russian military when they invaded Ukraine. “Javelins in Bloom” came to fruition after the reported destruction of Ukrainian artists’ works at the Ivankiv Historical and Local History museum. Maria Prymachenko’s works were among those endangered by the assault on this museum, and it was her humor, visual structure, vibrant colors and patterns that served as the primary inspiration for the style of the piece. To see more of her work click here.

Meaning

While planning the painting, Berman and Moraczewski focused on Ukrainian symbols. In this painting the nightingale symbolizes the inspiration and talent of the Ukrainian people. The vase is in the shape of a javelin that the Ukrainian people have been using in this war. Adorning the vase is the Ukrainian coat of arms or in Ukrainian “Тризуб”. It has become the symbol for Ukrainian warriors protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine today. This all leads upwards as the painting gets lighter, to the hope for the future, the sunflower. The sunflower is Ukraine’s national flower and has long been a symbol of peace for the country.

Donations

All the proceeds from this painting and its prints will be sent to the accredited World Food Programme. After receiving an official request for assistance from the Government of Ukraine, the World Food Programme (WFP) is launching an emergency operation to provide food assistance for people fleeing the conflict both within the country and in neighboring ones. WFP is scaling up to reach 3.15 million through cash-based transfers as well as in-kind food distributions. WFP is also preparing to provide assistance to displaced Ukrainians in refugee hosting countries. More than 2 million Ukrainians have already fled the country and sought refuge in neighboring countries since the beginning of the conflict. Over 100,000 have been internally displaced in the first few days of the conflict.

Although the conflict is in Ukraine, its impact on food security will be global. The Black Sea basin is one of the world’s most important areas for grain and agricultural production. The consequences of the conflict will increase pressure on resources and access to food beyond Ukraine’s borders.

Acknowledgements

Berman and Moraczewski want to thank Carla Massoni for all of her work promoting and selling this work and making the initial generous donation to the charity Hospitaller, a volunteer organization of paramedics in Ukraine. Also a big thank you to Bob Ramsey for creating the prints and Jack Lynn for his history lessons. Finally, thank you to all that have bought a print or the painting, we appreciate your donation!

Sources:
Waxman, Olivia B. “The History behind Sunflowers in Ukraine.” Time, Time, 4 Mar. 2022, https://time.com/6154400/sunflowers-ukraine-history/.

Luzan, Yevhen. Ukrainian Trident (Tryzub). Ukraine Now, https://ukraine.ua/stories/trident-tryzub/.

“Nightingale.” Encyclopedia of Ukraine, Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies., 2001, http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?linkpath=pages%5CN%5CI%5CNightingale.htm