Artist donates original paintings to Timmins Museum in support of Indigenous women
When Molly McTiernan, the development and marketing coordinator at the Timmins Museum: National Exhibition saw Johanne Lamarche's art, she was inspired.
“It’s very deep. When you look at it, it’s abstract and it’s not just something typical that you see every day," said McTiernan.
McTiernan met Lamarche who was in town this fall visiting family.
"She was very moved by the work and I was very moved by her interest in the creation of the work," said Lamarche. I said to her, I’m going to leave you this work, I think it belongs in Timmins. I’d like to do something good with this work and I would like to find a charity that I can donate it to that might have an Indigenous connection.”
When Lamarche was growing up in Timmins, she said she was aware that Indigenous peoples dealt with issues, and realized the gravity of them when she heard about the residential school gravesites.
"You feel like you’re really helpless when news like the residential school horrific discoveries were made and I thought art can heal," said Lamarche.
Each painting is one-hundred and fifty dollars and every cent will be given to the Timmins and Area Women in Crisis. Centre officials said donations help cover costs that government funding won't.
“For example, if a woman needs to get out of the province and she’s trying to back to her home province of say Alberta, victim services can only pay within the province so when she hits Thunder Bay there’s no dollars to get her outside of that so we can help provide that additional support." explained Julie Nobert-DeMarchi, executive director of Timmins and Area Women in Crisis.
Lamarche, a retired periodontist, lives in Philadelphia. She said her favourite medium is an ancient one, involving adding beeswax to oil.
The original works she donated to the museum are matted, signed by Lamarche and are ready for framing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A 'tragedy that can't be measured': North Bay's forever chemical problem is also the rest of Canada's
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Questlove was not happy with Drake and Kendrick Lamar's beef: 'Nobody won the war'
While some may have been excited and/or amused by the diss-track feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, the man many consider to be an elder statesman of hip-hop appears less than enthused about it.
Israel orders new evacuations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah as it prepares to expand operations
Israel ordered new evacuations in Gaza's southern city of Rafah on Saturday, forcing tens of thousands more people to move as it prepares to expand its operation and adding that it is also moving into an area in northern Gaza where Hamas has regrouped.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.