Sunflower mural at Ottawa art business dedicated to Ukraine

Artist Krystal Kae has painted a mural of sunflowers on the front window at Open Space Art Gallery in dedication to Ukraine and its national flower.

Open Space owner Amanda Weygand said in a Facebook post the events unfolding in Ukraine hurt to watch, and while there’s little that can be done, doing nothing feels wrong.

Open Space Art Gallery’s monthly Painting for a Purpose painting class this month will be raising funds to be donated to UNICEF to aid in its emergency response to Ukraine.

The class will take place 6 p.m. Friday, April 1, and run through 8 p.m. Attendance costs $40, with a portion of the proceeds going to UNICEF.

This painting class also is BYOB for anyone age 21 and older.

UNICEF’s emergency interventions include prepositioning health, hygiene and emergency education supplies as close as possible to communities near the line of contact, trucking safe water to conflict-affected areas, supporting mobile child protection teams providing psychological care to children traumatized by chronic insecurity, responding to cases of violence and abuse against children and assisting children separated from family.

UNICEF also works with municipalities to ensure there is immediate help for children and families in need.

Donations also can be made by going to Open Space Art Gallery & Studio’s Facebook page. Go to https://www.unicefusa.org/supporters to find out how to help the international organization.