Flowers for Ukraine: Gilford painting group hosts silent charity auction

GILFORD — The Gilford Library's Wednesday painting group is hosting a silent auction for a series of sunflower-themed works. All the proceeds will go to the World Central Kitchen to help feed Ukrainian refugees.

“The news has been so horrendous and we wanted to use our art in a useful way that would benefit Ukraine,” Elaine Morrison-Smith said. “We were just going to have an exhibit of sunflowers, then someone suggested that we have a silent auction and sell our sunflowers and the money would go to the World Central Kitchen, which would benefit Ukraine.”

That someone was Alexis Jackson, another member of the Gilford Library Wednesday painting group.

“This is an informal group that for a number of years painted in Sanborton and when COVID came we had to stop, of course,” Jackson explained. “When we opened back up for that kind of activity, we decided to start painting here.”

The group started meeting at the Gilford Public Library in October, but this is the first time they've held a charitable auction for their work. As for the choice of charity, Jackson stated that she was familiar with the World Central Kitchen due to their previous work in Haiti.

“I knew they were a legitimate organization and take very little off the top if anything. The money goes back to local communities. They source a lot of their food where they're setting up the kitchens so they support local farmers and businesses as they feed all the people.”

Paintings weren't the only form of art available at the auction. Artist Karen Ober spent two weeks creating a pair of Afghans composed of knitted sunflowers.

“My husband is in the art group,” Ober explained. “We have a passion to do whatever we can to help the refugees. I'm a fiber artist, and so I decided that was something I could do much quicker than some of my other skills.”

The artwork will be on display and up for silent auction at the Gilford Public Library from April 19 to April 29.