Friday, October 28, 2016
By Phillip Bock
Abdulfatah paints a portrait. He is one of a family of seven Somali refugees who recently relocated to Sheboygan. The family, all artists, are in need of supplies. (Photo: Photo courtesy Eyad Museteif)
SHEBOYGAN - A Somali refugee with a talent for art will be drawing portraits at Lakeshore Art Supplies on Sunday.
Abdifatah Osman, who recently relocated to Sheboygan with his family, will be drawing portraits from noon to 4 p.m. at the art supply store, 1109 N. Eighth Street, Sheboygan.
Portraits will be $40 for one or $75 for two.
"He has such great talent. I think it is a good opportunity for the community to meet him," Cindy Hoeper, owner of Lakeshore Art Supplies, said. "What a perfect setting of an art store to do it."
Funds raised from the portraits will be used to buy art supplies for the family of artists.
"Anyone is welcome to come and watch and, if they want to get their portrait done, it might make a nice Christmas present," Hoeper said.
Abdifatah, and his family, is one of thousands that have fled Somalia after years of drought and conflict have resulted in what has been called the "worst humanitarian crisis in the world today" by the UN Refugee Agency.
In 2009, Al-Shabaab gunmen forced their way into the family's Mogadishu home and killed their father, an art teacher and co-founder of Picasso Art School in Somalia and four children for practicing art. The terrorist group had sent warnings to the father telling him to close the school prior to the attack.
Now settled in Sheboygan, the entire family continues their father's craft, but are in need of supplies.
Abdulfatah created a portrait of Abraham Lincoln after being inspired by his new life in America. (Photo: Photo courtesy Eyad Museteif)