Laurier Heights Art Group show raises $1,700 for Ukrainian refugees in Edmonton

The Laurier Heights Art Group held its annual art show and sale on Sept. 25, 2022, putting up for sale a multitude of sunflower paintings in support of Ukrainian refugees settling in Edmonton.

The Laurier Heights Art Group held its annual art show and sale on Sunday, with a multitude of sunflower paintings up for sale in support of Ukraine.

This year each artist painted a sunflower as part of a fundraiser for the Ukrainian Canadian Congress of Alberta, a non-profit society representing more than 365,000 Ukrainian-Canadians.

Marnie McDougall, the president of the Laurier Heights Art Group, said the event is a chance to show everyone what the members have been up to over the years and sell some of their work.

"We've had amazing turnout today," McDougall told CTV News Edmonton on Sunday. "It's just been great, and I've really enjoyed doing this with all these people."

This year, each artist painted an extra piece of a sunflower – or several, in some cases – to help fundraise for Ukrainian refugees in Edmonton.

There were as many variations of sunflowers as there were styles of painters, McDougall said, though some may have had to do a little more brainstorming than others.

"Many of the men have never painted a flower in their lives, and so it was kind of fun to watch everyone go through this process," McDougall said.

"They're wonderful sunflowers, every one of them."

McDougall said she was hoping for a few hundred dollars. But, by the end of the event, the show had raised over $1,700 through sunflower painting sales and other donations.

"I couldn't be happier to be involved with it," she said. "Really."