Jewellery maker who fled war torn Ukraine will be having her first art exhibition in Buxton at the weekend

Karina Klimenko is exhibiting her work for sale at The Pump Room on Saturday December, 9 between 10am and 4.30pm.

She has been creating her own uniquely designed pieces of jewellery for ten years now.

She said: “In Ukraine I live in a small town.

“Here there is all that I love: my family, true friends, the pure nature of the forest and lakes.

“When I came to Buxton last year, I found a very different but truly beautiful landscape and environment.

“The colours of nature and the wonderful hill country has fed my work with new forms and ideas.

“I feel safe here in Buxton. The nature and beauty here have helped me to relax again, so I can work and am inspired by my surroundings. It makes me happy. Being in such a beautiful place was a dream for me before the war.

“I wish that I could have come in times of peace, but I am blessed to have found myself here.”

This will be her first showing in the UK and is an opportunity kindly extended to her by Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust.

Her work is often organic in form and has references to the art nouveau period whilst being classically timeless.

Often working to commission, she creates hallmarked pieces to pass down from one generation to the next, in precious metals with precious and semi-precious stones and says each piece always has an idea and meaning.

Karina, a mother of two little girls, sought safety here in Buxton last year after Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

She was part of a community of Ukrainian artists which connected with fellow artists here in Britain who, under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, were kindly able to offer them a place of safety.

Karina feels so grateful that this led her to find a home in beautiful Buxton.

Part of the profit from sales, with support from Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust, will be going to a charity for the humanitarian needs of people affected by the war in Ukraine.