Zoia, an artist from the Kyiv region, has always been an optimist who knows how to create her world the way she wants it to be. When the full-scale invasion began, she, like many others, did not immediately realize the seriousness of the situation, hoping until the last that the war would bypass their home. When it became clear that it was dangerous to stay in Hostomel, she and her family left for Kyiv, and then to western Ukraine.

There, far from home, Zoia returned to painting, trying to find herself and calm her soul. Arriving home after the deoccupation, she saw that their house had miraculously survived, although neighbouring buildings had been destroyed or damaged. In her studio, portraits of Cossacks, symbols of strength and invincibility, miraculously remained.