Ukrainian Artist, Refugee Wins Best Of Show In Dunedin Art Contest

DUNEDIN, FL — An artist from Ukraine, who was forced to flee the missiles, tanks and invading soldiers sent by Russian President Vladimir Putin into the neighboring country of Bulgaria has found refuge and acclaim for his talents in Dunedin.

On Feb. 24, 2022, the invasion of Ukraine began. Among those caught in the chaos were Mykola Herun, a Ukrainian wood sculptor, muralist and portrait painter, and his wife of 36 years, Nadiia, who lived in the small town of Kivertsi in western Ukraine, near Lutsk and Lviv.

The Heruns were faced with an untenable choice — either leave the country they cherished or pray they wouldn't become the next victims of an aerial bomb assault.

About 5,700 miles away, their daughter, Olena, and her husband, Vesko Hristov, a native of Bulgaria, live in Dunedin, where they own the successful Veskolini Cafe at 461 Grant St. in downtown.

Reading newspaper articles and television coverage on the conditions in Ukraine, Olena Hristov said she grew increasingly fearful for the safety of her parents, other family members and friends in Ukraine.

"My parents did not want to leave at all. My mom has had depression for many years," said Olena Hristov. "She was afraid of everything, especially for a big change and a long trip. My father was ready to go and defend Ukraine, but he has a heart problem and he is 62 years old, too old to serve in the military."

Olena Hristov said she tried to respect her parents' wishes to remain in their homeland.

"I didn’t rush them, but I kept telling them how worried and scared I was," she said. "I was helping others to flee the war in Ukraine, was raising funds for the Ukrainian people and concentrating on helping and supporting them. But we were going through a lot. Both of my grandmothers died a few months apart. I could not hold in all my pain anymore, so I decided to bring them to America to stay with me until the war is over."

Olena Hristov prepared all the paperwork to get her parents out of Ukraine and gave them two weeks' notice to pack up to leave. Then she meticulously planned out their escape route.

In August, the Heruns followed the example of 8.2 million Ukrainian refugees who fled with only the belongings they could carry, leaving behind a lifetime of memories and possessions.

"My father could not take many things with him, especially carving tools or paintings or sculptures," said Olena Hristov, speaking for her father, who is still learning English. "Their trip to America was difficult, and I did not want them to carry much luggage. I asked them to take only personal things and documents."

Fortunately, a cousin agreed to look after their apartment and their belongings.

"Me and my husband planned our trip to Bulgaria to visit his family, so we all met in Bulgaria in July last year and, from there, came together to the U.S.," Hristov said.

Olena Hristov had her parents take a late-night train to Rivne, Ukraine, and then the couple boarded a bus packed with fellow refugees for the 40-hour ride to Bulgaria.

"For me, it was weeks of preparation, and for them a few days of escaping. It was like a movie, something you'd never want to experience," she said.

The Hristovs, who married in 2015, met in Ukraine. Vesko Hristov had been living in America for 20 years. After meeting, the couple dated for less than six months, mostly long distance.

While falling in love with one another, the couple also fell in love with Dunedin, a city with a broad mix of ethnicities and cultures with pronounced European influences.

Olena and Vesko Hristov opened Veskolini Cafe in December 2020, at the height of the global coronavirus pandemic.

"It was our big dream — a family business, coffee, deserts, a beautiful and very sweet life. We worked hard for our American dream. We love our Veskolini and we adore every customer and guest," Olena Hristov said.

Their expertly prepared desserts, welcoming atmosphere and generosity made Veskolini Cafe a instant hit in Dunedin, allowing the couple to weather the pandemic when so many Tampa Bay residents were forced to close their doors permanently.

"We are so appreciative of everyone who supported our cafe," Olena Hristov said.

Hristov, who also helped a college friend and other relatives escape the war in Ukraine, said she hoped her parents would love the city as much as she did.

What she didn't expect was the way the city would embrace her parents.

When Studio 1212 Art Gallery at 234 Monroe St., Dunedin, learned about the Heruns' harrowing experience escaping Ukraine and the fact that Mykola Herun was forced to leave all his art supplies behind, the artists at the studio were determined to help.

"After hearing this story and finding out that he was unable to bring any art supplies with him to America, several artists from Studio 1212 donated supplies to him, and he began to paint again," said Debbie Lewis, an artist with Studio 1212 Art Gallery.

Led by President Cindy Kosek and Vice President Diane Clement, Studio 1212 is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization that supports community arts through exhibitions, critiques, mentorships, workshops and philanthropic outreach. For the past two years, the studio was named Best Small Art Gallery Cooperative by Tampa Bay Magazine.

"We met this beautiful and kind woman, Debbie Lewis, in the spring of last year," Hristov said. "She brought one of her paintings to Veskolini, this beautiful picture of a Dunedin street with blue and yellow umbrellas, which represented the Ukrainian flag colors. She asked if we would like to place this art at our café for sale to help raise money for the Ukrainian people."

The couple agreed to display the painting. In the meantime, they said Lewis spread Mykola Herun's story around town and boasted of his talent.

After spending several months returning to his painting, Mykola Herun decided to enter a work in Studio 1212's annual Call to Artists exhibit with Lewis' encouragement.

Herun's painting, "Our Wish Will Come True," amazed the judges, who commented, "So much emotion is packed into this humble painting."

The painting of cherry branches in glasses of water symbolizes the belief that, if you make a wish around Christmas and the cherry branches bloom by spring, your wish will come true. In this case, an image of a Ukrainian soldier in the painting symbolizes the wish that the war will end and the soldier will come home, Lewis said.

Olena Hristov said she wasn't surprised when her father won Best of Show at the Call to Artists exhibit.

"I have always believed in his talent, but it was a huge shock for Mykola. He was happy and could not believe what just happened," Hristov said. "He won $200 and decided to donate all this prize money to Ukraine. This is how kindness works — one helping another. I am very proud of him and wishing him big success."

After being on display at Studio 1212 until June 4, "Our Wish Will Come True" is on now on exhibit and available for purchase at Veskolini Cafe,

The public is invited to Veskolini Cafe on Sunday, June 25, when Herun and Lewis will host a Double Artist Pop-Up Show from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with live music by jazz musician Roger Harrison.

Their works can also be viewed at the cafe Wednesday through Monday from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.