Please join the Addison Center for the Arts and artists/activists Tania Blanco and Jennifer Hereth in our fundraising efforts to benefit Ukrainian refugees. The event will be an art sale/exhibition at the ACA Gallery–the highlight of which will be a fundraising rally on Saturday, May 21, 2022. All proceeds from the sales and contributions will be donated to the United Ukrainian American Relief Committee.

The UUARC is the organization that helped Blanco’s family emigrate to the US from Ukraine when she was a child. She is living proof of the effectiveness of the UUARC at shepherding displaced families.

“My heritage is Ukrainian. My parents and I evacuated from Lviv in 1944 through Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Germany and finally to the USA. I have over 20 relatives still living in Ukraine. Today, we communicate through facebook or Skype.

Suddenly on February 24, the war in Ukraine became the main focus of every day as I followed the news. The way I can cope with my emotional state as I learn of the catastrophic events is through creating art. It has become a way of dealing with the rage, sadness, despair, occasional hope, etc. that I experience. The feeling of helplessness cannot overtake my daily life, so I am honored and grateful for the opportunity offered by The Addison Center of the Arts Board of Directors to raise funds and awareness of the crisis in Ukraine. Working with my former professor of art, Jennifer Hereth, is an honor because I have a high regard for her commitment to activism.

The United Ukrainian American Relief Committee was the agency that assisted in supporting my family’s arrival to the United States. They provided resources for us from locating a sponsor for us to monetary support for establishing ourselves in our new home: USA.”

The second artist donating her artwork, expertise, and efforts to Ukraine refugee relief is Jennifer Hereth. Hereth, a professional artist and retired art professor is a compassionate and longtime international refugee activist.

“As a citizen of the world who has been privileged to teach across the globe from Sri Lanka and China to 4 years in Mexico, I have been very intrigued by this quote:

“It is this struggle that has informed my conviction that the figure of the refugee is the archetype of the twenty-first century- if not humanity itself.”

-From “We the Refugees” by Yanery Navarro Vigil and Catherine Baillie Abidi.

It has inspired my new series of paintings titled, “The World Is On the Move”.

Currently in Ukraine, my European publisher of “The Teenage Archetype Carddeck” lives in Kyiv and is daily under attack. I am aware of the concerns of refugees trying to get their families safely out of the country. My brave students, from when I went and taught in Kyiv, are staying and risking their lives to counsel and support soldiers.

I feel strongly that my art needs to help build the awareness that the Refugee is not the Other. We may– or our loved ones may– be called at any time to be on the move because of changes on our planet and global politics. We will need to help.”

Jennifer Hereth is Professor Emeritus from The College of DuPage and was faculty at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is the inventor of a therapeutic tool, “The Teenage Archetype Carddeck” and author of “An Artist Responds to Political Injustice” both available at the reception at Addison Center for the Arts along with Jennifer’s paintings.100% of all sales will go to Ukraine.”

ACA President, Mark Turk says,

“Our hearts go out to all those who have been victimized by this tragedy. When disastrous, life-altering occurrences happen, we all wonder what we can do to help. This is your opportunity to do just that.

BENEFIT RECEPTION:

Here is how you can help Ukrainian refugees: attend our fundraising rally on Saturday, May 21, 2022, from 2 to 5 pm. There, you can buy some art or write out a check payable to:

United Ukrainian American Relief Committee

℅ The Addison Center for the Arts

213 N. Lombard Road

Addison, IL 60101

We’ll also have refreshments including some Ukrainian treats and rockin’ guitar music by Joe Eddy Brown. We hope to see you there.

If you miss the reception you can visit the exhibit and donate to the UUARC during gallery hours or by mail through June 18, 2022.

Addison Center for the Arts

213 N. Lombard Rd.

Addison, IL 60101

630-458-4500

Gallery Hours: WED - SAT, 1 to 4 PM.