'Art For Ukraine' Charity Event Being Held At Yardley Bookstore

YARDLEY, PA — A Yardley bookstore will be hosting a charity art event to benefit the people of Ukraine from now until the end of July.

Commonplace Reader, a more recent fixture on Yardley Borough's popular South Main Street, has been utilizing its second-floor gallery space to showcase local artists' work since 2020. As of Friday, March 11, the gallery is being used as the location of the 'Art For Ukraine' charity art event, where artwork is being sold and all proceeds used to aid the people of Ukraine, who are currently entrenched in conflict with Russia.

Liz Young, the owner of Commonplace Reader, has been exhibiting the work of an art class taught by local artist Chris Monteiro at the Lower Makefield Community Center since 2020. She got the idea for the charity event after seeing some of the most recent paintings that were made by artists in Monteiro's class.

"A few weeks ago, his class decided to paint sunflowers and the idea of the fundraiser was born," Young told Patch in an interview.

Apart from Monteiro's art class, Commonplace Reader is also exhibiting art from the Artists of Yardley (AOY), the Pennsbury Highschool Art Department, and local artists familiar with Commonplace Reader. Young says all artists are welcome to participate in the charity event, and though there is limited space in the bookstore's gallery, Young says "paintings have been moving quite quickly, so there should be room for everyone."

The event is the result of a collaboration between Commonplace Reader and World Central Kitchen, a charity organization that describes itself as "a not-for-profit non-governmental organization devoted to providing meals in the wake of natural disasters." All the proceeds for the event will be donated to the organization, which will use the funds to feed Ukrainian refugees displaced by the recent invasion by Russia.

"World Central Kitchen is the recipient of our little town's generous spirit," Young told Patch.

The bookstore, which was founded in 2019, will be hosting the event until Sunday, July 31. All donations are welcome and will be used to support Ukrainians in need, as well as promoting the work of local artists.

"The beauty and feelings elicited from each of these paintings are extraordinary and reflect the compassion we share for our fellow human beings," Young said. "It is a small but powerful way to remember those whose lives and families are at significant risk."