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Philanthropy in Ottawa: Art auction feeds the heart and the hungry – Ottawa Business Journal

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Who: Artist Christopher Griffin and generous art enthusiasts 

The donation: More than $36,000 

The recipient: Ottawa Food Bank 

The inspiration: “When the pandemic struck I knew I had to do something. Not only was there increased demand on the Ottawa Food Bank but they also had to cancel food drives and many of their fundraising events. I decided to help by painting and auctioning the pieces to benefit those in need.” – Christopher Griffin 

Thursdays have been busy days for artist Christopher Griffin. Every Thursday from April to September, Griffin auctioned off a piece of his art to support the Ottawa Food Bank and, in turn, helped to feed hundreds of people in Ottawa. 

As the pandemic’s full magnitude came into focus in March, Griffin – like many Ottawa residents – was struck by a feeling of helplessness. As he was listening to the radio, he heard that food banks everywhere were feeling the pinch.

Griffin initially considered visiting the local food bank and volunteering his time. But as he thought more about the impact he wanted to make, Griffin knew he could put his creative talent to use and help in a much bigger way.  

He headed to his art studio with his heart on his sleeve and created his first piece that was to be auctioned off with 100 per cent of the proceeds donated to the Ottawa Food Bank. For the next six months, Griffin painted a piece of art for the Every Thursday Art Auction – a huge success that’s raised more than $36,000 to help with food security during COVID-19.

“The Ottawa community has been so supportive of the art auction,” Griffin says, adding that his artwork has even attracted bids from individuals as far away as California. “The food bank serves the most vulnerable people in our community … at this challenging time.”

Photo by Joey Gaskell

Griffin decided to take to his canvas again during the month of December to help fellow residents have a happy Christmas. For each Thursday during the holidays, the auction will continue, much to the delight of the Ottawa Food Bank. 

“We are so grateful for the talent and generosity that Christopher Griffin continues to lend to the Ottawa Food Bank,” says Rachael Wilson, the interim CEO of the food bank. “His fans and art enthusiasts across the city have also been incredibly generous, and we feel very fortunate for their contributions.”

Philanthropy in Ottawa is a monthly feature highlighting notable donations in Ottawa. Share your stories of philanthropy in our community with news@obj.ca. And be sure to read the latest edition of OBJ’s Giving Guide: 

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40 Random Bits of Trivia About Artists and the Artsy Art That They Articulate – Cracked.com

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40 Random Bits of Trivia About Artists and the Artsy Art That They Articulate  Cracked.com



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John Little, whose paintings showed the raw side of Montreal, dies at 96 – CBC.ca

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John Little, whose paintings showed the raw side of Montreal, dies at 96  CBC.ca



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

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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.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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