Peter Reynolds, Award-Winning Author And Illustrator, Raising Money For Ukraine Through Art Prints
BOSTON (CBS) -- Author and illustrator Peter Reynolds expresses himself through his artwork. And as he watched news of the war in Ukraine, he turned to his art supplies.
"I wanted to create something to celebrate peace and give us hope, and I found the Ukrainian flag online," said Reynolds. "Especially horrific was to see children having to flee their homes with their parents and children being hurt."
He created his Ukrainian Peace Print, posting it online to his fans, who have enjoyed his award-winning children's books for decades.
"I had this overwhelming response from people saying, 'Thank you for doing it. Can I get a copy?'"
From there, he got the idea to donate proceeds from the prints to help support relief efforts in Ukraine.
"Within 24 hours, we had sold 800 prints. And the orders just kept coming in and coming in. And they're still coming in every day," Reynolds said.
Since Peter started selling the peace prints on March 4, he's raised $15,000 for UNICEF. He hopes that number will continue to grow.
"People are so generous. They want to help. They want to do something. We're turning hope into action," said Reynolds.
"Donations will be supporting UNICEF getting critically needed medical supplies, supporting water and sanitation, which is so important for families on the move," said UNICEF USA Senior Managing Director Elana Western.
While observing his print, Reynolds said, "We can help this little girl get her shoes and find warmth and shelter and make sure that her sunflowers grow."
For more on Peter Reynolds, visit https://www.peterhreynolds.com.
