Â鶹Éç

Aowen Jin is from China but has lived and worked in the UK for 18 years. Originally trained as a lawyer - she swapped a life at the bar for a life at the easel and now her work is in Queen's private collection. Before the civil war Sara Shamma was a star of the blossoming Syrian art scene. She carried on painting in Damascus for as long as she could - starting on a series called Diaspora. By the time she finished it, she was herself part of the Syrian diaspora, having fled to neighbouring Lebanon where she has made her home. Picture: Sara Shamma (left) and Aowen Jin (right) outside the Â鶹Éç's London offices Picture credit: Tim Allen