Life Support gallery
Art has helped me cope with depression, deal with triggers, and express gratitude for my recovery. Without it, I'm unsure whether I'd ever have gotten out of the deep darkness I was living in. But then, I'm lucky, there are so many who just do not make it out alive. This last September, my nephew Gordon Torchia, was found with his heart stopped from an overdose, alone, on a Vancouver street. I started painting to remember him, then to stay sober, and then to move through the stages of grief.
In only four months, I've painted well over 30 paintings, some large, some tiny, but all of them are an honouring. Not just of my nephew, but of life, courage, compassion, love. And pain, yes pain too. All these things I know he'd be happy to have expressed in his name.
Maria Epp designed the shows poster and postcards. The image is a part of one of my paintings, called “Flourish" which was one of the first I painted after we lost my nephew, Gordon Torchia. He died of an overdose in September and I painted this shortly after.
I could not have been more please with the poster, Maria did a fabulous job, and while our funds were scarce and we had to do all our printing feom a photocopier, I was still ecstatic sith how they turned out!
The psinting was gifted to Gord Pratt, my counsellor at St. Rafael Wellness Centre (where I've been attending sobriety support groups for the last two plus years). Gord was instrumental in putting on this show, dedicated to grief, loss, addiction and recovery. I could not have don't it without him.
To contact SRWC for your own support around addiction or recovery please go to www.srwc-mb.ca
Over 90 pieces of stunning art!
SOLD
12 X 12
2017
Collage, modeling paste, and acrylic on canvas
Life support is the first art show I've ever organized. So I'm so happy that we had 24 people participate, with just over 90 pieces of visual art and 4 performances. I'm incredibly proud of myself and of each person who helped make the night a SUCCESS!
SOLD
12x16
2017
Acrylic, Gold Leaf and Gel Medium on Canvas
SOLD
12x12
2017
Mixed Media on Canvas
SOLD (although not at Lifesupport, later through Upbeat Artworks)
12x16
2017
Mixed Media on Canvas
