For the last nine years, a group of College of DuPage students and community members have created a collection of paintings, donating the final pieces to rebuilding efforts for those impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
“While the media doesn’t focus on it anymore, New Orleans and its surrounding areas continue to recover,” said COD Art Professor Jennifer Hereth. “Volunteer organizations there continue to build new homes for residents and there remains a need to furnish and decorate these homes.”
Inspired by an episode of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” Karen Gehse and her fellow art students set out to capture the beauty of the vibrant city and inspire those displaced by the storm and IArtists was born. While it’s been years since their initial efforts to help those impacted by Hurricane Katrina, representatives from the non-profit group will head to New Orleans later this month to continue their commitment and celebrate the number of families they’ve impacted so far.
“This is still my baby and I hope the project will be going for a long, long time,” Gehse said. “Even though the hurricanes were nine years ago, the city still struggles and the rebuilding efforts progress slowly.”
The nonprofit group continues to create works of art for New Orleans families and is working with the St. Bernard’s Parish Project to provide each newly-rebuilt home with a piece of art.
Fifty paintings by COD students will be on display Friday, Nov. 14, at Gravier St. Social Club and Gallery in New Orleans before they are distributed. The goal, Hereth said, is to raise awareness of the project and the need for continued aid for 9th Ward residents displaced by the storm.
“These families lost so much and this is our way of helping them rebuild and make their houses truly feel like home,” Hereth said.
For more information visit http://iartistsinfluence.org/#home