On February 17, 2023, artists from Kropyvnytskyi - participants of the art project of the Oleksandr Osmerkin Memorial Art Museum "Art Studios" on the theme: "Portraits of contemporaries on the background of war" created an artistic image of a Ukrainian burned by war, but indomitable and invincible.
    The creative event took place in the Tourist Information Center of the city of Kropyvnytskyi as part of the "Patriotic Fury" project, organized by the Department of Culture and Tourism of the Kropyvnytskyi City Council. "A year of our steadfastness in the war with the Russian aggressor has passed. That is why our February is patriotic. All the projects that will take place at this time are aimed at supporting the Ukrainian defenders, their relatives, strengthening the spirit and faith in our victory," Svitlana Tsaran, head of the tourism sector of the administration, said during the event.
    In addition to professional artists, the participants of the studios were also students and teachers of the city's art educational institutions - the Oleksandr Osmerkin art school and the fine arts department of the children's art school.
    Lieutenant Valentyn Vovk was the nature for young artists and their mentors. Having combat experience behind him, the 27-year-old defender of Ukraine posed for the first time in his life, so he was a little shy and embarrassed in front of the watchful eyes of artists who skillfully worked with pencils and brushes. And in response to numerous questions from TV journalists, the soldier with the call sign "Wolf", who was a flight attendant in his civilian life, discreetly spoke about himself: "My service at the front lasted from March to September of last year, until the moment when I was wounded. Served in the 9th separate rifle battalion. We were given the task of taking a settlement in the Kherson region. There was tank shelling. I and several of my comrades were wounded, two died immediately, another died later in the hospital. I received shrapnel wounds in my arm and leg".
    For almost two hours, a participant in the hostilities, Valentyn Vovk, courageously sat still, although it was difficult for him, because even now he is being treated in the hospital and came to the event leaning on a crutch. But no one noticed this, because the warrior charmed everyone present with his sweet smile. Without hesitation, he admitted: "I have never been a model, I wanted to try. It's hard to sit still for a long time, but I'll try. I don't have a single portrait of myself yet, maybe after this campaign I will have one".
    At the end of the event, Ukrainian soldier Valentyn Vovk, whose birthday was February 14, by the way, received two of his portraits as a gift - from the artist Olha Krasnopolska from Kropyvnytskyi and one of the students of the Art School named after Oleksandr Osmerkin. And on the back of the gifted picture, the students of the school wrote sincere wishes.
     All participants of the studios expressed a desire to take a picture with the defender of Ukraine Valentyn Vovk.