Of course, later I managed to recalibrate my thinking slightly and began painting at home, but this transition took time. A year of war passed before I found it easier to come to terms with my surrounding reality. I strived to detach myself.

In every season, I infused my time and life with creativity. I encouraged my artist friends, shared my leftover art materials, and helped them set up personal exhibitions during these dreadful times.

I can't imagine how I would have coped if I hadn't been an artist, or how I would have diverted my mind from the chaos. I'm also unsure what course of action others might take in such circumstances. The only strategy I had was to plan each day's activities.

Sometimes, my colleagues and I would team up and go out plein air painting together. We sought happiness by immersing ourselves in our artistic practices. Perhaps it was a mechanism of self-preservation. Truly, in those fleeting moments and days when you paint on a blank canvas, a mystical transformation into a creator occurs.

Please share if you've faced any life challenges that you've managed to overcome thanks to your creativity.