Today's News: Yes, there is still art in Ukraine. Even now. Especially now.

Picasso said 

"What do you think an artist is? ...he is a political being, constantly aware of the heart breaking, passionate, or delightful things that happen in the world, shaping himself completely in their image. Painting is not done to decorate apartments. It is an instrument of war."

So tonight I have been looking at some of the work of Ukraine artists.

First, I found this article from the art critic of the London Times about his recent trip to Lviv 

to find out how the museums there are making sure their art treasures will not be damaged 

or destroyed by war:

It’s what art does in times of war. It rallies the national spirit and focuses it. That’s why the entire collection of our own National Gallery was moved to safety in a cave in Wales during the Second World War. It’s why Henry Moore stopped carving modernist Madonnas during the Blitz and began drawing huddled survivors hiding from the bombs in the tunnels of the London Underground. When things grow dark, art gets real. And it suddenly matters more. ... 

 Next, here are some of the remarkable Ukrainian art that matters now, from photo-journalists, 

painters, illustrators and other media, which I found when searching through twitter:

An amazing photo: Fighters from the Ukrainian army's 30th Brigade take their positions in a trench in eastern Ukraine -photo by Ukraine photojournalist Maxim Dondyuk
https://t.co/5D37YpRVfA

— Cathie from Canada 🇨🇦 😷🏳️‍🌈 (@CathieCanada) April 20, 2022

War in the strokes of Ukrainian artist Natalia Levitasova.#StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/DSYU6F5JxD

— Oleksandra Matviichuk (@avalaina) April 19, 2022

The faces of war in the works of artist Olena Liberti#ukraine #art #painting #WARINUKRAINE #war pic.twitter.com/OQjmGVvwa6

— kittyKat 🇷🇺🇪🇺🇺🇦 (@MarKittyKat) April 19, 2022

There is a twitter event every four months called Portfolio Day where artists post examples 

of their work in hopes of sales or commissions. Here are some incredible artists from Ukraine 

who posted at last week's Portfolio Day:

I haven't been keen on posting photos lately for obvious reasons, but on this #PortfolioDay, I would like to take this chance to remind the world of the sheer beauty of Ukraine, especially now that all we see from there is pure horror. Ukraine will win and Ukraine will be free. pic.twitter.com/NuglOu070h

— Bradley Stafford (@bocapoIis) April 13, 2022

More from Portfolio Day:

#PortfolioDay Hello im Mara an artist from Ukraine 🇺🇦 who keeps drawing despite the war! I make character designs and illustrations in trad and digital #digitalart #ArtistOnTwitter pic.twitter.com/r3vfsqrCh2

— MaracuyaM 🇺🇦 COMS OPEN (@m_maracuya) April 13, 2022

Hello #PortfolioDay , my name is SteppeCrow, I'm a freelance artist and beginner in animation. I live in Ukraine 🇺🇦
These is a really difficult time for all Ukrainians, but I continue to draw commissions, my characters and sometimes fanart pic.twitter.com/yU3tiaahIx

— SteppeCrow 🇺🇦 (@steppe_crow) April 13, 2022

Hi, im Oleksandr. I'm from Ukraine and i painting miniatures #PortfolioDay pic.twitter.com/gyJIzcLlwQ

— 🇺🇦 Кольорова аксолотля 🇺🇦 (@ErofeaN) April 13, 2022

Greetings to everyone and #PortfolioDay !
My name is Victoria aka Otviart and I am freelance artist from Ukraine.
Staying home and ready to work to have opportunity to support those who is in need.
Open for commissions, write me => otviart@gmail.comhttps://t.co/1lGryVxdTg pic.twitter.com/Zy7GCQ3G52

— otviart (@otviart) April 12, 2022

#PortfolioDay
I'm a book illustrator and #NFT artist from Ukraine pic.twitter.com/bpCu6MKUCg

— Olenka Illustrates 🇺🇦 (@olenkadraws) April 12, 2022

There is much more at the hashtag Portfolio Day.

In Ukraine, of course the war goes on - the Battle of Donbas is being joined.

#Russian and #Ukrainian officials announced that the next phase of the Russian invasion of Ukraine began on April 19.

Click here to read the report and see the latest maps from @TheStudyofWar and @criticalthreats: https://t.co/WkcGB2LYvt pic.twitter.com/DhZeIr9wZo

— ISW (@TheStudyofWar) April 19, 2022

The US is sending more support every day:

It's obvious that this is now the new normal. Announce package, deliver ASAP, announce next package. Lather, rinse, repeat. People need to stop thinking "not enough!" as if each individual package is a one-and-done. https://t.co/7fDqIOdWe9

— Markos Moulitsas (@markos) April 19, 2022

This is way to do it. No drawn-out public debate by Western officials. One day, fighter planes just appear in #Ukraine. https://t.co/xfqw1PUz1l

— Steven Pifer (@steven_pifer) April 20, 2022

This is a testimony to two things. How Ukrainian resistance has made Ukrainian survival a political imperative for NATO countries, and how Russian war crimes have made it possible to send more advanced equipment. Another Putin disaster.

— Phillips P. OBrien (@PhillipsPOBrien) April 19, 2022

Finally tonight, I had to share what I think will go down in Covid history as one of the stupidest corporate releases ever: Delta Airlines!

I don’t think the results of one judge shopped lawsuit has changed the nature of the virus, @delta. pic.twitter.com/ESRJZHkkf6

— Schooley (@Rschooley) April 19, 2022

And if Delta Airlines can single-handedly transition Covid to a seasonal flu just by tweeting about it, then why didn't they do this TWO YEARS AGO and save all of us a lot of trouble?

— Cathie from Canada 🇨🇦 😷🏳️‍🌈 (@CathieCanada) April 19, 2022

Ask the scientists and medical professionals if COVID is just an "ordinary seasonal virus." #CovidIsntOver pic.twitter.com/cKIdtF7hsM

— Pin Young 🇺🇦🌊🏳️‍🌈📽🎙🎻 (@PinYoungActress) April 19, 2022

COVID is seasonal in the same way that Calgary weather is seasonal.

— Paul Fairie (@paulisci) April 19, 2022