Art

Are you a front-line worker? You can choose free art – Burnaby Now

Published

3 years ago

January 14, 2022

Art can lift spirits, soothe souls, shine light into a world that seems, at times, unrelentingly dark.

A group of Lower Mainland artists wants to share that light with some of the people who need it most: the front-line workers who’ve been leading us all through the COVID-19 pandemic.

The arTHANKS initiative is an art-gifting campaign that provides free, original works of art to front-line workers, courtesy of local artists. Now organizers are hoping they can attract more artists to create work – and more front-line workers to give it to.

One of the artists behind the initiative is Burnaby’s Ginger Sedlarova, for whom the pandemic brought a renewed realization of how fortunate she was to be able to continue her own work in safety.

“I thought, ‘Aren’t I lucky to not have to go out every day on the front lines and work in unsafe conditions, potentially?’” Sedlarova says.

Last summer, even as she was wondering how she could give back to people on the front lines, she heard from a former colleague. David MacLean – whom Sedlarova knows from her days at the Vancouver Sun – is an artist now working in the film industry. MacLean, too, had been thinking about how to give back to front-line workers, and he’d hit upon the idea of the gift of art.

They brought on board two other active members of the Lower Mainland’s arts community: assemblage artist Valerie Arntzen, and promoter and arts supporter Ali Ledgerwood.

Together, the four have been working to connect front-line workers with original works of art since the summer of 2021, via a website where artists can upload photos of available work and where front-line workers can choose a piece for themselves.

Dozens of pieces have since found their way into the homes of front-line workers.

Those people include health-care workers and emergency services personnel, but Sedlarova is quick to point out it doesn’t stop there.

“We talk about anyone who has to go out and put themselves at risk every day: teachers, educational assistants, baristas, grocery clerks … The list goes on. It’s anyone who puts themselves at risk to make our lives better,” she says.

“Everyone who’s out there doing this for us deserves a thank you. And what better way for artists to say ‘thank you’ than through their art?”

With the pandemic showing no signs of ending anytime soon, the arTHANKS team is now working to get the word out to more artists and more front-line workers.

There are about 80 donated pieces of art awaiting homes right now, with work running the gamut of styles and mediums: ceramics, assemblage, collage, painting, photography. The only limit now is geography; they’re confining it to the Lower Mainland to keep it accessible for pickup. (If artists in other areas want to start up similar initiatives in their own community, Sedlarova says they’re welcome to reach out to the arTHANKS team for help.)

Artists are asked to stick to smaller-scale works (a maximum of 24×24 inches, though some pieces have gone beyond that) so they’re easy for the new owners to pick up and transport home.

Any front-line worker who’d like to receive a piece of art can simply go to the arTHANKS website and fill out an online form for the work of their choice. If there’s nothing on the site right now that’s appealing, keep checking back; new work is coming in all the time.

As headlines fill with stories of front-line workers burning out and taking abuse and harassment from the public, Sedlarova says it’s all the more important to show gratitude.

“We know it’s often been rough, dispiriting and maddeningly unfair, and we hope this helps let them know their work is appreciated,” she says.

“I cannot begin to say ‘thank you’ enough.”

Want to donate art?

If you’re an artist wanting to donate work, you can fill out an art submission form on the website.

Want to receive art?

If you’re a front-line worker who’d like a free work of art, you can view the gallery online and fill out a request form.

Follow Julie MacLellan on Twitter @juliemaclellan.
Email Julie, jmaclellan@newwestrecord.ca.

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Art

A misspelled memorial to the Brontë sisters gets its dots back at last

Published

1 day ago

September 26, 2024

Anne Joseph

LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.

More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.

The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.

They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.

“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”

It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.

Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”

Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.

“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.

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Art

Calvin Lucyshyn: Vancouver Island Art Dealer Faces Fraud Charges After Police Seize Millions in Artwork

Published

2 weeks ago

September 13, 2024

Harry Miller

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.

Alleged Fraud Scheme

Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.

Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.

Massive Seizure of Artworks

In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.

Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.

Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed

In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.

Court Proceedings Ongoing

The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.

Impact on the Local Art Community

The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.

For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.

As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.

While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.

Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.

As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.