Turning Art Into Charity: Creating Beauty to Protect Life
I have always been deeply passionate about helping and protecting animals. From the very beginning of my life, animals have been an essential part of my story. When I was born, a cat came to our home, and my mother decided to keep her as my “guardian angel.” She lived with us for 15 years, until one stormy November night when she quietly disappeared. Despite searching all night, we never found her. It is often said that cats leave when their time comes, sparing us the pain of witnessing their passing.
Our family always had dogs, and my care for animals naturally expanded beyond the home. I regularly fed and looked after street animals, creating warm places for them to sleep at a time when shelters were not available.
When I later moved to Lithuania, I became a volunteer with Tautmilės Globa. Wanting to do more, I traveled to Sri Lanka to work with Millennium Elephant Foundation , supporting the care and protection of elephants. My journey then took me to Chengdu, China, where I participated in a panda conservation project, working in the pregnant panda unit. I later learned through CNN that all the pandas in that unit successfully gave birth, and today giant pandas are no longer classified as an endangered species. Being part of such a positive outcome remains one of my proudest experiences.
My most recent work with exotic animals brought me to South Africa, where I contributed to efforts to protect lions. Many lions there are bred for hunting, tourism, and the illegal trade of bones and teeth. Witnessing these conditions firsthand—majestic animals confined to small enclosures—was deeply emotional and strengthened my determination to be part of the change. I worked alongside people dedicated to rescuing and protecting as many lions as possible. The same project involved rescue of Canadian wolves that were brought to South Africa for hunting purposes. These wolves were brought into the country in the 1960s and have since been raised in domestic environments, lacking the wild experience they would have in their natural habitat. This has led to a lack of understanding and care for their needs, resulting in their current state. It is emphasized the importance of not breeding wolves in captivity where they have no natural habitat.
Later, while living in Tbilisi, Georgia, I continued supporting local shelters and personally rescued two dogs, who are now part of my family.
Currently, in Spain, I support Ace Shin Charity in Cala de Mijas, helping street animals and cats in need.
I have now visited Donkey Dreamland Mijas.
Donkey Dreamland association's mission is truly heartwarming — they give mistreated and abandoned donkeys a second chance at a life free from pain and suffering.
The donkeys are incredibly gentle, friendly, and full of personality.
The volunteers do an amazing job organizing activities like donkey walks, school visits, guided tours, and even private events and celebrations.
I’ll personally be supporting this association by donating proceeds from the sale of my paintings.
The location of Donkey Dreamland in Las Lagunas de Mijas can be seen on this map
I really encourage you to visit—not only will you be supporting a wonderful cause, but you’ll also get to enjoy the beautiful countryside and stunning views.
If you do go, consider bringing some apples and carrots for the donkeys—they’ll love you for it!
Today, I have connected my lifelong passion for animals with my artistic journey. My goal is to sell my paintings and dedicate the proceeds to supporting animal rescue efforts. In this way, anyone who buys my artwork is not only collecting a piece of art, but also directly contributing to saving and improving the lives of animals in need. I believe this creative path has come into my life for a reason—my motto is simple: turning art into charity.
