SALEM, Mass. — The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association and Dobro New England will hold a Petrykivka Paint and Sip workshop on Sunday, November 6 at 2 p.m. at The House of the Seven Gables. Participants will enjoy wine and pastries while learning the Ukrainian folk art of Petrykivka painting. Advance registration is required, and the cost for the workshop is $70 per participant. All proceeds from the event will benefit relief efforts in Ukraine.
The Petrykivka folk art style, which originated in the 1700s, has become symbolic of Ukrainian culture. Works often feature fantastic flowers and other natural elements, based on careful observation of the local flora and fauna. During this workshop, participants will create their own holiday ornaments, with instruction by artist Svitlana Rozghon. All materials will be provided.
Rozghon is also a leader in the local nonprofit Dobro New England. This women-led organization focuses on providing humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine and raising awareness about Ukraine in the United States. “Dobro” means “kindness” in Ukrainian.
The House of the Seven Gables will partner with Dobro New England on several other events this year also aimed at raising awareness regarding the plight of Ukrainians abroad and the deep cultural bonds that connects those here in the US with their homeland. An ongoing winter clothing and supplies drive seeks to collect items such as hand and feet warmers, socks, gloves, thermals, boots, blankets, and sleeping bags for the people of Ukraine. Those who wish to donate can drop new and gently used items off at the admissions desk at The House of the Seven Gables. Financial and Amazon wishlist contributions can also be made to Dobro New England at www.dobroinc.org.
On November 11 at 2 p.m., Oleksandra Kovalchuk will speak at The House of the Seven Gables. Kovalchuk, the Acting Director of the Odesa Fine Arts Museum in Ukraine, will share ten exceptional works of Ukrainian art and culture, spanning from Byzantine mosaics to contemporary works. On December 4 at 2 p.m., Emily Channell-Justice, Director of the Temerty Contemporary Ukraine Program at the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard, will discuss Ukraine’s history, provide background on the ongoing Russian invasion, and explore potential future outcomes for Ukraine and the world.
Dakota Russell, Executive Director of The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association, said this partnership with Dobro continues the mission envisioned by the organization’s founder, activist Caroline Emmerton. “For more than one hundred years, The House of the Seven Gables has worked to give immigrants and refugees a place to tell their stories,” Russell said. “We are honored to partner with the resettled Ukrainian community on the North Shore to raise awareness about the ongoing attacks against their home country.”
In 1908, Caroline Emmerton purchased and restored the famed 1666 Tuner-Ingersoll Mansion—better known as The House of the Seven Gables—and opened it to the public for tours. Admission fees funded Emmerton’s work providing support and educational opportunities for newly arrived families in America. “Settlement houses” like Emmerton’s sprang up across the country in the early 1900s and fought against widespread discrimination and exploitation of immigrants.
The mission of The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association is to be a welcoming, thriving, historic site and community resource that engages people of all backgrounds in our inclusive American story. The Gables provides daily tours of the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion and the historic site campus, as well as free English as a Second Language and Citizenship classes for immigrants to the United States. For more information visit www.7gables.org.