See 'The Refugee Portrait Project' at MCC art gallery

McHenry County College, 8900 Route 14 in Crystal Lake, features an art exhibit titled "Painting Syria's Children: The Refugee Portrait Project" through July 31 in the Epping Gallery, opposite the bookstore, in the Building B hallway.

The portrait project consists of artists to help children, the most vulnerable victims of Syria's civil war. "Painting Syria's Children" artists include: Nancy Seidler of Alden; Jeanne Clohisy of Arlington Heights; Teresa Bedal of Barrington; Judy Arvidson, JoAnn Benthusen, Lucy Dellapina, Sherri Fowler and Lynn Loch, all of Cary; Johanna Gullick, Judith Hollister, Julie Janzen and Diane Ward, all of Crystal Lake; Karyl Shields of Harvard; Susan Ploughe of Lake Zurich; Kathie Stevens of McHenry; Dee Abbate of Oakwood Hills; Alice Schank of Spring Grove; Susan Havey of South Barrington; and Angie Boe and Nanette Garcia, both of Woodstock.

Their paintings are inspired by photographs taken of Syrian children living in refugee camps in Lebanon and Jordan.

Recognizing that the Syrian refugee crisis is the greatest humanitarian tragedy of our time, the artists of The Refugee Portrait Project are painting to help the 8.4 million innocent children caught in the midst of the Syrian civil war. Rather than feel helpless in the face of this enormous tragedy, artists are using their skills to raise awareness and money to support three charities working for child refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and other areas of Europe and the Middle East.

Millions of Syrian children, six million inside and 2.5 million outside the country, are in immediate need of humanitarian aid. Refugees are on the run in search of safety, helping to fuel a global migrant crisis. These children have borne witness to unrelenting violence from the brutal conflict that began more than six years ago.

For those who purchase a painting, 100 percent of the sale money will go to the aid agency working to help that child.

To buy a painting: contact Dee Abbate at deezart@comcast.net to verify that the painting has not been sold. Donate the price of the painting to the charity listed on the painting, either WorldVision (www.worldvision.org), Catholic Relief Services (www.crs.org), or Act for Peace (www.actforpeace.org.au). Then, forward the charity's receipt to deezart@comcast.net and the artists will mark your painting sold and arrange for delivery to you after July 31.

To view the artists' work, visit www.mchenry.edu/artgallery.