Dubuque artists to organize fundraiser for children affected by war in Ukraine

DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) - A pair of Dubuque artists is raising money for children affected by the war in Ukraine.

Dori Sevde is not only an artist in Dubuque, but also a nurse who worked in the ICU during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Art has always helped me through different things in my life with art therapy,” she explained. “Art really helped me kind of just cope with all of that (the pandemic),”

Now Sevde wants to use art to help others, so she has partnered with Mercedes Pfab of the Captured on Canvas studio in Kennedy Mall to teach a watercolor painting class. The money raised in this class will go to the Voices of Children Foundation, a group that is helping children who have been displaced due to the war in Ukraine.

“This is just a wild time, I think, in the world and something we have not seen in our generation, this type of displacement in the countries,” Sevde added. “It is all over the news and there is not much we have available to us here in Iowa on what to do other than fundraise, so we just want to do something to help.”

People participating in the class will get to paint sunflowers, which are actually Ukraine’s national flowers. They’ will also get to use paints that were made in Ukraine.

Organizers are asking local businesses and people for donations, which range from gift baskets and gift cards to monetary donations. The event will take place at Captured on Canvas inside Kennedy Mall, but Sevde said they are still finalizing details on a date for it.

People interested in donating, helping out, or finding out more information are encouraged to reach out to Sevde at dorisevde@gmail.com.

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