www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, June 2, 2016 | 32 John Bkila Editor jbkila@oakvillebeaver.com Oakville cancer survivor wants to Paint for the Cure The idea of Paint for the Cure "just came" to Ethel Grossmann. In 2014, the Oakville painter was involved in a group show at the Etobicoke Civic Centre Art Gallery (ECCAG), an exhibit that was in memory of a very good friend who had passed away. After the show, Grossmann approached the ECCAG and suggested the idea of a show featuring the work of cancer survivors, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Canadian Cancer Society. "I thought there had to be something positive that came out of (her friend) Gary (Duncan) passing away." Once her submission to the art gallery's board was accepted, she contacted several of her artist friends, including Vicky Weir and Cathy Roberts of Burlington to run the idea by them. All the artists in the show have or have had cancer with one exception; although Roberts has not had the disease, her family has been touched by it. The artists' objective is to help "find a cure so that other people don't have to go through what we had to," said Grossmann, who was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago. "We're also hoping that other different art groups will come onboard and they will start doing something like this every year as well." Roberts wanted to be involved in Paint for the Cure because she has witnessed the benefits of research in her brother-in-law's treatment. "He's an example of the type of research that's prolonging lives." Weir and Grossmann experienced firsthand how the disease infiltrated their work. "It affected me in various ways depending on how I was feeling," said Weir, who underwent treatment for breast cancer 33 years ago. "If I wasn't terribly well, my colours would reflect it. (Having the disease) certainly made it more imperative to try things (techniques) that I might not have tried before." After her diagnosis, it took Grossmann a long time to return to painting. "I had to re-evaluate everything going on in my life," said Grossmann. "My priorities totally changed. It took me awhile to get going. I sort of felt that this show might help other people get going too, if they were going through what I was going through." The craving she had for creativity brought her back to the canvass, she said. It was Grossmann's friends, Weir and Roberts, who actually encouraged her artistic side 15 years ago. "Cathy was a neighbor who got me into a (printmaking) class Artscene "Connected to your Community" Oakville's Ethel Grossmann and Burlington's Vicky Weir and Cathy Roberts are three of the artists participating in Paint for the Cure, an art show and sale in support of the Canadian Cancer Society on display at the Etobicoke Civic Centre Art Gallery from June 5-July 5. For more information, visit www.toronto.ca/eccartgallery. | photo by Nikki Wesley Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog) she was teaching and then I got so interested in art I started studying with Vicky who was teaching at the Oakville Art Society." When Paint for the Cure opens Sunday (June 5), it will be the first time the three artists have shown their work together. The group of seven survivor artists, all of whom have exhibited extensively in both solo and group shows over the years, have been working for a year to put together 65 pieces for Paint for the Cure. Having such an important goal gave her all the motivation she needed, said Roberts. "When somebody in your family gets a serious diagnosis like that... it ripples through the family," said Roberts. "Having the artwork to focus on helped me so I could be there for other people. It keeps you in the moment." The artists, which also include four from Mississauga and one from King City, represent the first group to have registered with the CCS to Paint for the Cure, said Roberts. "Both the ECCAG and the Canadian Cancer Society are both partners of ours in this show," said Roberts. There will be a tremendous variety of work as the artists involved are so different, said Weir. "I think it's going to be really exciting. I hope a lot of people come out for the opening, as well as during the month the exhibit is on. There is lots of opportunity time-wise to see the show," said Roberts. Paint for the Cure opens Sunday between 2-4 p.m. and runs until July 5. Gallery hours are weekdays, 9 a.m.-8 p.m., and weekends, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Half of the proceeds from the show will go to the CCS. ECCAG is located at 399 The West Mall in Etobicoke. For more information, call 416-394-8628 or visit toronto.ca/eccartgallery. Big Movies, Small Prices! 171 Speers Road (at Kerr) Oakville general: $8.50 children (3-13): $6.50 seniors (65+): $6.50 Tuesdays: $5.00 905-338-6397 www.film.ca facebook.com/filmca @filmcacinemas Teenage MuTanT ninJa TurTles: ouT of The shadows (Pg) June 3rd now you see Me 2 (Pg) June 10Th cenTral inTelligence (Pg) June 17Th finding dory (g) June 17Th indePendence day: resurgence (sTc) June 24Th