Metal comes to life in her hands: a craftswoman from Kharkiv creates stunning wire sculptures (photos).

Victoria Tabachnaya creates fantastic animal figures, enormous whales, butterflies, and whimsical decor for homes and gardens from cold, lifeless metal. Just before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, she opened her own workshop in Kharkiv, but enemy shelling forced her to abandon everything and relocate to Poltava. Victoria shared her story about the journey of being a displaced person who managed to revive her beloved life’s work in an interview with "Shortly About".

The War Interrupted Plans

Victoria's love for metal began when she started working at a metal processing company 13 years ago. The company produced metal doors, cabinets, and grates, and for the first 7 years, she was involved in marketing and supplies.

"During that time, I realized that metal is not just something cold and heavy; it can be as flexible as plasticine, and you can create anything you want from it. And this captivated me," — the artisan recalled.

When clients began requesting more delicate items made from metal wire, this task was entrusted to Victoria. However, the management later decided to discontinue such orders because they consumed too much time and were unprofitable for a large enterprise, prompting the artisan to pursue independent creativity.

She had planned to open her own workshop in Kharkiv, but the full-scale invasion by the Russians shattered those plans. Victoria lived near Chuhuiv, where constant shelling was a daily occurrence.

"When shelling starts, you grab some bags and rush to the bomb shelter. We spent entire days there, only coming out to eat. Eventually, we stopped going upstairs altogether," — the artisan shared her memories.

A month later, the military advised civilians to leave the area. Victoria and her family moved to Poltava.

"After the move, it took me another six months to regain my strength. I spent all my time following the news, on Telegram, worrying about how my apartment and workshop were doing," — she recalled.

Finding Solace in a Beloved Craft

Thanks to the "Wings" project supporting women, Victoria received a grant for her own business and was able to purchase equipment. For a time, she returned to Kharkiv and salvaged everything she could to bring to her new location in Poltava.

"I brought back a lot of hand tools — they suffered the least damage because they are small. When I entered my Kharkiv workshop, the first thing I did was look for my favorite pliers: they cut very well. Tools had simply fallen to the floor from the blasts — I collected them. I also have angle grinders and sharpeners," — the artisan recounted.

A new machine had to be purchased. In Poltava, they rented and renovated a small space.

"This opened new doors for me, creating opportunities to do a lot of things. For me, this is the most important thing," — Victoria stated.

Formless Metal Comes to Life in the Artisan's Hands

"For a baker, it’s a joy to make a beautiful cake, and for me, it’s to unload an order made from wire. At first, you see metal as cold, formless, rusty, but when you pick up the order, the metal is already colored and has taken on a beautiful shape," — the artisan explained her passion.

Simple tasks, such as drilling on a machine, can be performed by women, but Victoria's assistants are men. In a village in Poltava region, there are several families of displaced persons from Kharkiv who have gladly joined the efforts of their fellow countrywoman. One of them works as a blacksmith, and the other is the main assistant.

"Together we come up with ideas, and the assistant implements most of the projects," — the artisan clarified.

If the workshop receives particularly complex orders, Victoria seeks help from her blacksmith friends. She also collaborates with acquaintances from Kharkiv to create gifts for the military and engages in volunteer work.

"And if I need to sort out some screws, my mom and daughter can help. Overall, my family and friends provide support, and I am very grateful to them for that. Support is very important today," — the artisan said.

As a reminder, on Valentine's Day, February 14, the head of the Central Representation of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War shared a romantic piece of news. Ukrainian military soldier Alexander Diterenko, who spent 1060 days in Russian captivity, made a proposal to his beloved nine days after returning home.

Also, on St. Valentine's Day, February 14, servicemen Olga and Vladislav, who found each other during their service at the beginning of the war, shared their love story.