Art Giving Back


It is hard to believe that we are already closing in on mid-November.  Stores already have their Christmas decorations out and soon enough; Christmas music will start looping on the radio. It has been an incredible year on so many fronts, I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to create and to share my thoughts on this platform. 

 

Art Giving Back

As most of you know, I donate the equivalent of 25% of my sales to local charities.  One of the charities that I decided to support this year is The Lab in Gatineau.  The Lab is a really neat place where those at risk of homelessness or suffering from addiction or mental health can go to create, whether it be music or other forms of art.  At the end of October, I joined the Board that manages The Lab and my first meeting is actually this Thursday.  I am looking forward to helping this organization not only in kind but also with my time and learning more about what they do.  While we all had to adjust and do things differently when the pandemic hit, it was really fascinating to hear how a non-profit organization working with those living on the street and supporting those with addictions had to adapt quickly to continue to serve those who count on them for help and, in many respects, their safety.  

 

On Thursday, I am also planning to make a donation of $600 to The Lab, which will bring the total to $900 for the year.  Thank you to all those who contributed to this amount by purchasing my art! 

 

I have also been able to donate a few paintings to charities, including the Government of Canada charitable campaign, the Hopewell Eating Disorder Centre Ottawa and more recently St. Matthew’s in the Glebe.  St. Matthew’s is hosting an online charity auction from November 12 to November 20th, with all the money raised going to support the FACES refugee program and other St. Matthew’s projects.

 

I have donated my painting ‘Winterscape’ to this auction - it is an original 24” x 20”painting on a 1.5-inch canvas.  If you are interested, you can bid as of this Friday by clicking on the following link charityauction.bid/StMatthews2021Auction 

Winterscape. Original acrylic painting by Ottawa-based artist Mireille Laroche.

 

As we are coming towards the end of the year, there will be additional opportunities to help those in need.  New paintings are coming as early as this week and watch out for a special promotion towards the end of the month (if you want to be the first to hear about it, you can register for my email distribution list on my website)

All the Poppies ... To Remember

Original acrylic painting Lest We Forget by Ottawa-based artist Mireille Laroche

I love painting poppies. It all started years ago when I bought some post cards with poppies and thought ‘I am going to try to paint poppies on a huge canvas (48” x 30”)’.  When I think about it, it was actually quite bold. I am still nervous about painting on such a big surface.  However, the result just confirmed my love for poppies, inspired me to do more and ‘Lest We Forget’ became one of my most cherished paintings. For years, it was hanging in my living room and has been one of my youngest son’s favourite paintings.  For the first time, I am making this painting available for sale, along with two new ones, on my website on November 11th.  Lest We Forget, Clemency and another one coming later this week are for me a way to remember our loss but also the hope for a better world. The mix of abstract art and the poppies  reflect how these beautiful and fragile flowers, much like peace and freedom, are co-existing in busy ecosystems that are working for and often enough against these noble ideals.

 

Watch for social media posts regarding these new paintings and for a special event towards the end of this month!

 

 


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