Ukrainian orphanages need support

My name is Lada. Im 20 years old and I live in the suburb of Odessa city. It is a wonderful place near the sea. The nature and the fresh air, the firth and the sea are so lovely. I love to be in nature, to walk in the evenings and sometimes in the mornings. My life hobby is art. I love doing that!

My parents are both artists and I have inherited their passion. I cant even say which kind of other professions could have appealed to me more than this one. I had thoughts of becoming a psychologist or the English professor.

I have listened to my heart, however, and have decided to become an artist. Since my childhood Ive dreamed of becoming a clothing designer. Since before I turned 20 Ive been trying to make that happen, I will never give up! When I was little my parents saw me drawing every time they woke up.

At school I attempted several times to show my art potential. However my attempts were fell flat because I struggle with initiative. However I made wall-papers and posters and there was even held an exhibition of my works at school.

A big moment for me was winning in a creative competition, when I drew a bright woman in a dress with watercolors. I couldnt believe that I won this competition! I got the main prize – the possibility to enter the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts without any tests.

However I didnt attend, because it I couldnt afford it. My father, a wonderful artist and a very cheerful person, died in 2006 when I was 9 years old. This was a great shock for the whole family and Im really sorry that he didnt influence my life a lot.

We were left all alone, my mother and her three daughters. One of my sisters was already married and the second one was living with us. Both of them are older than me by 15 and 16 years. After school I entered Odessa Theater Art School and decided to become a costume designer.

I really liked studying there because the atmosphere was exceptional and the teachers were very nice, the subjects were interesting, and the course works which I had to present were very helpful.

They helped me to develop my skills. We sew both modern and historical clothing. I sewed the shamans costume and the modern costume in the style of steam-punk and the historical costume of the Rococo age.

My pre-degree work was Carmen (the Spanish gypsy and my diploma work was Torero, because I love the bright costumes with the abundance of embroidery. However I understood that the sewing is not my passion.

I love drawing more and I love beading and making tissue applications, I mean the decoration. Of course I need to get a higher education and this summer I entered the South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University named after K. D. Ushinsky. I entered the second year of the art and graphic faculty.

I aim to become a teacher of fine arts. I hope that I will like studying there. Im really grateful to you that you have invited me to this program again. The two years that I have spent here were wonderful and I have only positive impressions left. People here are really nice, and the new acquaintances are really interesting. I dont want to leave this place. Sincerely yours, Lada