Peterborough Artist Collaborates With Russian Artist To Auction Off Piece To Raise Funds For Relief In Ukraine

Nick Leniuk, a first generation Canadian-Ukrainian, is auctioning off a piece of his art and donating 100 per cent of the proceeds to relief efforts in Ukraine.

Nick Leniuk in his home studio with ‘Rise Above’. The piece took him about two weeks to complete. Photo by Angela O’Grady.

Leniuk of Riverbend Studio carves sculptures from various types of stone at his home studio.

When news of the Russian invasion of Ukraine spread he knew he wanted to do something to help.

“Everybody feels so helpless, it’s so stressful,” he said. “So, the thought came to put a piece out to auction to raise money to support Ukraine.”

All the pieces Leniuk carves are drawn by hand, though because he wanted to get this one done quickly he searched the internet for a silhouette of a sunflower, Ukraine’s national flower.

“I found one I liked and when I dug deep into the designer I found that she was Russian,” he said. “I thought ‘interesting, I’ll see what kind of response I get’. She was totally on board and happy that she could contribute positively. She’s totally against the war.”

He notes that while a lot of social media and internet has been blocked in Russia he is still able to contact her.

The piece, titled ‘Rise Above’, features a hand carved sunflower from serpentine stone, set on a wood slab stained with the Ukrainian flag.

Leniuk speaks highly of all the people he see’s fundraising for Ukraine in Peterborough.

“Initially I thought, you know, I’m just one tiny drop of rain in this bucket,” he said. “But with everyone doing something, that’s a lot of drops in that bucket.”

Perhaps Leniuk’s main motivation to help is his connection to Ukraine through his father.

During World War Two Leniuk’s father Antony, who was from Ukraine, was detained in a work camp by the German army at the age of 15. When the war ended he came to Canada and settled in Kapuskasing, Ontario where he worked as a lumberjack, got married and raised five children.

Leniuk left Kapuskasing to attend University in Toronto and eventually settled in Peterborough to raise a family with his wife Wendy.

Leniuk and his wife had tickets to Lviv, Ukraine in 2020 to spread some of his fathers ashes at the grave of his grandparents. COVID restrictions cancelled that trip, but he hopes to be able to get there soon.

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As of Wednesday the ‘Rise Above’ auction is at $600, with an additional $325 donated from individuals.

To bid on ‘Rise Above’ or to send a donation send Leniuk a direct message on Facebook or Instagram. He posts updates on the auction daily. The auction will close on March 28.

When the auction is over he will post the receipt of his total donation to Canada Ukraine Foundation-Ukrainian Canadian Congress.

He says that he and his wife plan to continue fundraising after the auction is over.

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