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Williams Lake’s Station House Gallery to open Art for Ukraine show and fundraiser

Show will feature over 50 works by various artists to help raise funds for Ukraine

Diane Toop, executive director of the Station House Gallery, does not have Ukrainian heritage, but something about the war in Ukraine has hit home with her.

There are a lot of bad things happening in the world, but the Russian invasion of Ukraine felt to Toop like an attack on democracy.

After selling $1,280 worth of sunflower seeds to send to humanitarian efforts in Ukraine via the Quesnel Rotary, Toop said the Art for Ukraine art show “happened organically” because “I just wanted to do something bigger.”

The art show opening starts at 5 p.m. on May 5 and consists of donated art from collections and some from local artists. Art mediums of the more than 50 pieces donated range from watercolour paintings, oil paintings, to photography, wood and more.

Pieces will be auctioned over the month using a system of blind bids, where no one will know the bids they are competing against, and bids can be submitted in person, online or over the phone until May 28.

The gallery is not taking any commission and 100 per cent of the proceeds of the auction will go to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation.

The opening night will also feature Ukrainian music and food as well as women from Quesnel who heard about the fundraiser and wanted to come and help by wearing their Ukrainian traditional costumes and will offer up some headpins, headbands and jewelry by donation as well as some photographs by a Ukrainian photographer.

“They’re just over the moon that we’re doing this,” said Toop.

The opening will also include an upstairs show by Kathleen MacDonald. It is the first upper gallery show since early 2020 and MacDonald’s show, titled Pourous, is a mixture of photography and abstract painting.

The gallery is open Monday through Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and admission is always free.

Read more: Former Station House resident featured in new Williams Lake mural

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ruth.lloyd@wltribune.com

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Ruth Lloyd

About the Author: Ruth Lloyd

After moving back to Williams Lake, where I was born and graduated from school, I joined the amazing team at the Williams Lake Tribune in 2021.
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