A Ukrainian artist, living in Ennis, Yeni Goryeva, has painted a portrait of Irish showjumper Conor Swail, and is hoping to contact him to present him with the painting.

The Ennis based artist painted Swaile from a magazine cover. Yeni came from Kiev earlier in the year and now lives in a hotel in Ennis with other members of her family.

Yeni is an artist and was also the owner and professional hairdresser at her beauty salon in Ukraine. But everything changed on February 24 with the start of the war and Yeni and her daughter Anastasia came to live for now, to Ennis.

While living in Ireland for the last few months she has been inspired by beautiful nature, people and Irish people’s hospitality. She never stopped painting her art work and this year her work has featured in art exhibitions called ‘A Ukrainian Artist’s View of Ireland’.

One day in a store Yeni saw a magazine with a man riding his horse on the cover. She had no idea who this gentleman was and immediately decided to paint it. She now knows it is the Irish showjumper Conor Swail. Yeni wishes to contact Conor to gift him the painting.

Yeni’s daughter Anastasia translates for her as Yeni has basic English.

“My mother has painted the showjumper Conor Swail, after she saw him on the cover of a magazine,” explains Anastasia. “She would like to contact him to present him with this painting.”

Yeni’s art draws on nature and landscape and she has been painting the Irish countryside since she arrived.

“My mother and I came from Kiev where she ran a beauty shop before the war started and she painted as a hobby,” says Anastasia.

“She has continued her art here in Ireland and she is now painting scenes with ‘soul’, of Ennis where we live and the beautiful Clare countryside.”

Yeni would like to continue her paintings of nature, County Clare and horses.

Anastasia Goryeva also lives in Ennis with her mother in the hotel and is a multi linguist, speaking fluent English, Ukrainian, Russia and Chinese. Anastasia has completed her MBA in Taiwan and is keen to find work in the Ennis area.

Yeni had two exhibitions in Clare Museum in the last few months, saying she has received great support from Clare County Council. She currently has some clients in Ennis by recommendation. Yeni’s art is also being sold with 15% going to aid projects in Ukraine.

Yeni is on Facebook as https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086294512348