Acrylic on canvas
2025
March 8th has always been a special day in my family – a day to honor a woman who embodied strength, independence, and an unshakeable spirit. That woman was my great-grandmother, Alexandra. Although I didn’t learn her full name for a long time, everyone called her Shura.
She was born in 1922 and witnessed history in its most brutal forms – from the rise of entrepreneurship to famine, collectivization, repression, and war. She raised children alone, enduring hardships most of us can only imagine. Yet, through it all, she never succumbed to despair.
In fact, she was the happiest person I’ve ever known. No matter the circumstances, she always found a way to hold on to hope, to celebrate even the smallest joys, and to share that warmth with everyone around her. It’s this unshakable optimism, this ability to find light in the darkest of times, that I believe I inherited from her. She taught me that happiness is not a result of external circumstances, but a choice – a choice to embrace life with all its complexities and imperfections.
Today, on International Women’s Day, I reflect on the incredible legacy of my great-grandmother, and I am reminded of the power of resilience, joy, and love.
I hug my new painting, but I can’t hug my Shura.
Acrylic on canvas
2025
March 8th has always been a special day in my family – a day to honor a woman who embodied strength, independence, and an unshakeable spirit. That woman was my great-grandmother, Alexandra. Although I didn’t learn her full name for a long time, everyone called her Shura.
She was born in 1922 and witnessed history in its most brutal forms – from the rise of entrepreneurship to famine, collectivization, repression, and war. She raised children alone, enduring hardships most of us can only imagine. Yet, through it all, she never succumbed to despair.
In fact, she was the happiest person I’ve ever known. No matter the circumstances, she always found a way to hold on to hope, to celebrate even the smallest joys, and to share that warmth with everyone around her. It’s this unshakable optimism, this ability to find light in the darkest of times, that I believe I inherited from her. She taught me that happiness is not a result of external circumstances, but a choice – a choice to embrace life with all its complexities and imperfections.
Today, on International Women’s Day, I reflect on the incredible legacy of my great-grandmother, and I am reminded of the power of resilience, joy, and love.
I hug my new painting, but I can’t hug my Shura.
To purchase, please contact the artist by email loddeart@gmail.com
