Comments on: Bravo! Town Hall: Does Art Matter? http://www.marissaneave.com/2008/09/bravo-town-hall-does-art-matter/ art + space + audience Thu, 28 Oct 2010 05:33:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Denise LaFrance http://www.marissaneave.com/2008/09/bravo-town-hall-does-art-matter/comment-page-1/#comment-383 Denise LaFrance Sun, 28 Sep 2008 03:52:50 +0000 http://www.marissaneave.com/?p=117#comment-383 wish to attend this Town Hall Meeting regarding the value of Arts in Canada because I am an artist who has a LOT to say on the topic of the value of arts and culture in Canada and why the dismissal and trivialization of this will spell the downfall of more than just an Industry--but of a spirit. I have something specific I want to discuss regarding the power of art and it is this:Last year, I painted a portrait from 2 separate photo-references as a free gift to Charlotte and Ivan McWilliam in Deep River Ontario. The McWilliam's daughter Margaret had been MURDERED in Scarborough 20 years ago to the date which I presented the portrait. I shall bring with me to Town Hall the letter of gratification from the McWilliams.My point is, through the power of ART, I was able to achieve something few people can: Namely, restoring some sense of JOY in the lives of parents who have experienced the most nightmarish hell anyone can imagine. I brought them a feeling of the return of their daughter in the form of a random act of kindness from a complete stranger-20 years after the fact. Through NO other means than via ART could this power to restore some joy be possible.(Incidentally, the murder remains unsolved.) Now, if Stephen Harper wants to suggest that ART has no value to the average Canadian citizen, he can just sit down and think again. ARTISTS are VITAL to Canada and, through just this ONE example, I can prove this point. Stephen Harper did not just threaten to cut off funding to this vital group of Canadians, he insulted the very spirit of our nations artists to the very core by suggesting that what we do is of little or no value to the average Canadian as well as insulted the intelligence of Canadians as a art-appreciating People. I have a lot to say.I am a very confident and eloquent public speaker as well as a highly skilled artist.I've been involved in many volunteer art projects for the benefit of Man-Kind including donating original art to New Songs for Peace in collaboration with UNESCO and Human Rights activist, composer and singer, Ms. Honey Novick. Sincerely,Denise LaFrance,Painter and author (age 44) wish to attend this Town Hall Meeting regarding the value of Arts in Canada because I am an artist who has a LOT to say on the topic of the value of arts and culture in Canada and why the dismissal and trivialization of this will spell the downfall of more than just an Industry–but of a spirit. I have something specific I want to discuss regarding the power of art and it is this:Last year, I painted a portrait from 2 separate photo-references as a free gift to Charlotte and Ivan McWilliam in Deep River Ontario. The McWilliam’s daughter Margaret had been MURDERED in Scarborough 20 years ago to the date which I presented the portrait. I shall bring with me to Town Hall the letter of gratification from the McWilliams.My point is, through the power of ART, I was able to achieve something few people can: Namely, restoring some sense of JOY in the lives of parents who have experienced the most nightmarish hell anyone can imagine. I brought them a feeling of the return of their daughter in the form of a random act of kindness from a complete stranger-20 years after the fact. Through NO other means than via ART could this power to restore some joy be possible.(Incidentally, the murder remains unsolved.) Now, if Stephen Harper wants to suggest that ART has no value to the average Canadian citizen, he can just sit down and think again. ARTISTS are VITAL to Canada and, through just this ONE example, I can prove this point. Stephen Harper did not just threaten to cut off funding to this vital group of Canadians, he insulted the very spirit of our nations artists to the very core by suggesting that what we do is of little or no value to the average Canadian as well as insulted the intelligence of Canadians as a art-appreciating People. I have a lot to say.I am a very confident and eloquent public speaker as well as a highly skilled artist.I’ve been involved in many volunteer art projects for the benefit of Man-Kind including donating original art to New Songs for Peace in collaboration with UNESCO and Human Rights activist, composer and singer, Ms. Honey Novick.

Sincerely,Denise LaFrance,Painter and author (age 44)

]]>