PHOTO COURTESY OF CARRIE BARR — The painting that received the highest bid of the night, pictured, went for $2,000.

“Sold!”

Twenty-two times auctioneer David Clark called out the familiar exclamation at the auction of Ukrainian Children’s artwork from Marshalltown’s Sister City, Zdolbuniv. It was a surprisingly joyous event as each painting drew more and more bids.

It began when Marshalltown’s newest Sister City, Zdolbuniv, Ukraine, sent a packet of 22 children’s paintings. They asked if their Marshalltown counterparts could auction the pictures and send the proceeds back. They wrote: “We are united by one common goal — to help our military for a quicker victory and peace.”

The paintings were colorful, skillfully done, heart-breaking and hopeful. Everyone who saw them was touched. Their message was clear. War should have no place in the lives of children. But the colors and the hopefulness were unmistakable. These paintings were very special and would need special treatment.

Myself and Jolene Jebsen, members of the fledgling Marshalltown-Zdolbuniv Sister City Committee, set off to do justice to the children’s work. We felt quite a burden to honor the children’s efforts and to make as much money as we possibly could for this struggling town. We spoke only a few times with the Ukrainians, but we learned that their town, about the size of Marshalltown, had lost over 100 people in the war. Some of the young artists had fathers who were fighting in the war.

Barr and Jebsen had never done anything like this but were determined to create an exhibit that was not only visually interesting but also taught fellow Marshalltownians about their new Sister City.

Enter Kristine Kienzle, Director of the Marshalltown Arts and Civic Center. Kristine suggested we display the paintings in the Monet Reception Hall with its professional apparatus for hanging art. She created a program with tiny facsimiles of each painting and included the Sister Cities mission. She fashioned colorful online posters to help in advertising. She was just one of the miracle-workers who jumped in to make this auction a success.

Sister City Committee member Melisa Fonseca suggested an online auction. She reasoned that a night-time auction in January in Iowa might not draw the people needed to drive up prices. An online auction would tickle people’s interest and allow folks to participate regardless of snowstorms or ice. Kienzle was able to create the online auction.

The next miracle-worker was Amber Danielson, director of the Arts+Culture Alliance. She offered the ACA to be the fiscal agent since the new Sister City Committee had not had time to become officially a charitable organization. We thought it was important that people be able to pay for their purchases with credit cards as well as checks or cash. The ACA had a mechanism to do that.

Finally, the auction night arrived. Curious people began gathering around pieces of art, chatting and discussing their favorites. Beverages and snacks added to the festive camaraderie in the air. Mayor Joel Greer introduced auctioneer David Clark and Ukrainian interpreter Tanya

Fedko, herself a refugee from Ukraine. The bidding began. Hands shot up around the room as bidders, first shyly and then boldly staked their claims on painting after painting.

By the end of the evening, those 22 paintings from 6-to-17-year-olds brought in nearly $12,000. Everyone in the room felt fortunate to have been a part of this pleasant, somewhat emotional event that would help another town, very much like ours, struggling through a very difficult time on the other side of the world.

Greer said, “Having a sister city during its country’s war is especially meaningful to both cities. The recent art auction certainly did shine a light on that, given the expressive artwork and gripping personal stories behind them. Carrie and her small committee and the MACC director did a marvelous job of displaying the art, getting the word out, and conducting a meaningful auction.”

City councilman Mike Ladehoff described his reaction: “It was heartwarming to see the Marshalltown area turn out for the auction for our Sister City Zbunudov, Ukraine. I don’t think any of us on the Sister City Committee could have dreamt just how successful it would be. The bulk of the work was done by Carrie Barr, Jolene Jebsen, Conny Schutte, Amber Danielson, Councilor Melisa Fonseca and the MACC’s Kristine Kienzle, plus a few more. The money will be put to good use in Ukraine and starts our Sister City relationship with a bang! Well done Marshalltown!”

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Carrie Barr is a member of the

Marshalltown Sister City Committee.