‘Artists for Ukraine' event in Rush raises fantastic €7,000 for those fleeing war

But what started out as an idea for a small exhibition in his hometown soon snowballed into a major fundraising event for the Irish Red Cross and the Polish Humanitarian Alliance.

Cormac, a respected and accomplished artist for 30 years, was blown away by the response when he asked for donations of artwork, with more than 110 pieces received in the space of a few weeks from all over the country – and even Ukraine.

The week-long Artists for Ukraine exhibition found a home in the Strand Bar restaurant, thanks to the support of publican Joe Sherman, with an impressive €7,000 raised on opening night last Thursday.

All proceeds from the sale of the stunning artwork will go directly to the two charities working with those directly affected by Ukraine’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.

The eclectic range of art includes a stunning painting by gifted Ukrainian artist Laura Medvedieva, who recently fled Kyiv and is currently living in emergency accommodation in Dublin. She was a guest at the opening night of the exhibition, with her appearance described as “very special”.

Another remarkable piece by artist Colin O’Neill has been a major talking point since the exhibition opened.

The work was inspired by the story of seven-year-old Ukrainian girl Amelia Anisovych, who won the hearts of the world when she sang an emotional rendition of ‘Let It Go’ in a Kyiv bomb shelter.

While the original painting was quickly snapped up, limited edition prints – kindly produced by Shane Byrne of Visuals Framing – are still on sale for €50 each.

Cormac told Fingal Independent he was overwhelmed by the response from artists and the local community and described the featured work as “a feast for the eyes”.

“People are looking at what’s happening in Ukraine at the moment and want to show their support,” he said. “Personally,

“I feel very affected by what is going on as the situation in Ukraine mirrors what happened during the Second World War, with people being shipped off to who knows where and indiscriminate killings on the streets.

“This is simply barbarism on a scale that we can’t allow happen again – and it’s all taking place just a few hours away from us.”

Cormac said while he was taken aback by the volume of artwork donated, he believes artists are generous people by their very nature.

“Every single work they do is an expression of compassion and does good for the world,” he added. “I was not so surprised that artists would be willing to give up their work for free.”

With the physical exhibition due to end this week, any remaining or newly donated artwork and prints are now available to purchase online. Cormac is also hoping to encourage local businesses to support the cause by buying art for their premises.

The Artists for Ukraine website (artistsforukrainerush.ie) also contains a link for donations without having to buy an artwork or print.