A bouquet of sunflowers

They say there is nothing better in this world than to see or feel a smile – whether it shines from a person’s face or an animal’s gaze, but most of all a smile usually shines at us from a blaze of flowers. The Almighty gave us flowers so that, enjoying their many colours, we might fill our souls with light and goodness. 

Ukrainians love flowers and have long surrounded their homes with these messengers of living nature. Besides the guelder rose (kalyna), which blossoms and gladdens our hearts towards autumn and is a kind of national symbol, we dearly love blooming sunflowers, when endless fields burst into flower like an echo of the sun itself, and the flower, feeling its warmth, turns its gaze to follow its course – a rare feature of the plant.

With this short introduction about sunflowers and their light in our eyes, we wanted to begin our words of thanks to REET OHNA, an artist from Otepää (Estonia’s winter capital).

On the eve of the arts festival “Northern Star – 2022”, due to take place in Tallinn on 6 November, REET sent us Ukrainians her greetings and support with her artwork “A Bouquet with Sunflowers” (“Kimp koos päevalilledega”) through Mariia Rudyk, a Ukrainian activist and public figure from Uman who, for well-known reasons, now lives in Otepää with her daughter. Mariia is now well known not only in the winter capital but far beyond it: she has organised a grand concert in Otepää for Ukraine’s Independence Day with an extensive exhibition of Ukrainian folk art. It was while preparing this memorable charity event that Mariia got to know the work of the Estonian artist and glass master.

Hearing from Mariia about her trip to the Ukrainians of the Estonian capital to organise a folk-culture exhibition here, Reet Ohna asked her to greet the Ukrainian community on her behalf and wish it strength and will in this difficult time of struggle and inspiration for a life filled with spirit and the light of goodness.

The painting has found its place in the Cultural Centre of the Association of Ukrainian Organisations in Estonia next to a portrait of Taras Shevchenko. The sunflowers’ smile warms the gaze and heart of everyone who, for one reason or another, comes to our “khata” (home), as Ukrainians fondly call the Cultural Centre.   

A few words about the artist.

Reet Ohna was born in 1950. She first studied at the Tartu Art School and later studied glass techniques at the Tallinn State Art Institute. She worked as a secondary school teacher and as a graphic designer at a paper mill in Tallinn. In summers she led refresher courses for art teachers. She has repeatedly exhibited her work at glass, watercolour and applied graphics exhibitions.

On behalf of the Ukrainians of Estonia, part of whom are represented by AUOE, we sincerely thank the artist Reet Ohna for her gift, her attention and her support for each of us and for the Ukrainian people. 

We wish this creative person unceasing creative energy and new achievements in art.

We warmly invite you to visit us – we would be glad to talk and perhaps to host a presentation of the Estonian artist’s works.

Liubov Laur.