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Acclaimed artist aids the A Clear View campaign
Although they have never personally met, award winning painter Andrew Kiss of Calgary and Donna Grainger, Executive Director of East Kootenay Foundation for Health (EKFH) share a passion about bringing a digital stereotactic mammography unit to the East Kootenay Regional Hospital as part of EKFH’s newest fundraising campaign ~ A Clear View.
Born in Hungary in 1946, Andrew and his family immigrated to Canada in 1957 after escaping the turmoil of the Hungarian uprising against the Russian Invasion. After arriving on the East Coast of Canada, their journey eventually led them to Vancouver Island where as a self taught artist Andrew began working with oils and painting his surrounding landscape. A move to the interior of B.C. gave him more inspiration with the vast mountains, lakes, and wildlife. His pallet is never the same but his style is always recognizable and set apart from other artists through his incredible use of light. This is what makes his work unique.
More than the uniqueness of his work is the person that stands behind the brush. Several years ago EKFH embarked on a fundraising campaign for new state-of-the-art ICU beds as part of the Cranbrook/Sunrise Rotary Clubs Art and Wine event. Andrew was one of the first artists to donate and faithfully did so for the three years it ran. “Andrew told me it was his way of giving back to all the wonderful people in the East Kootenay who had purchased his work through sales at the Artym Gallery in Invermere,” shared Grainger.
Now it is the husband who wishes to honour his wife Lynn, a six-year breast cancer survivor, by donating an original piece entitled ‘Calm Before The Storm’ to the 3 of Diamonds Hoedown event, held Sept. 16, in support EKFH’s digital stereotactic mammography campaign. The donated piece is as appropriate as its vivid images captures both the sense of peace and serenity yet turbulent skies looks down from above. Not so different from those who’s journey through breast cancer screening, detection, and treatment fill their lives with those same emotions.
When EKFH contacted the Kiss family (Andrew, Lynn and Rita) about the campaign before Donna could even finish the story the trio wanted to give back to others fighting breast cancer. Andrew explains, “To be able to evoke one’s memory of a hike, family camping trip, or special place visited is the vision that I hope to bring out with my work. I hope that each painting I do will be a window to our precious world and a reminder that we should never take it for granted.”
Let’s not take breast cancer detection for granted either, the $1 million digital stereotactic mammography unit will save lives by detecting breast cancer earlier, providing less invasive procedures for patients, reducing travel for patients and their families and reduce surgical time in the operating room. The arrival of this unit will help the East Kootenay Regional Hospital become a centre of excellence in breast cancer screening and diagnostics.
The original Andrew Kiss painting is valued at $5,300 framed and was one of the major pieces featured at the live auction at the September 16 – The 3 of Diamonds Hoedown event sponsored by Dr. & Mrs. Bill & Cathy Newsome and Blue Sky Realty (Jeannie Argatoff). All proceeds from the live and silent auction will be returned to the A Clear View fundraising campaign.
East Kootenay Foundation for Health is grateful for this beautiful gift from the Kiss family. To learn more about Andrew Kiss, see his work and many prestigious accolades visit www.kissfineart.com.
In related news
Fun, leadership, personal development, pride in one’s community, importance of family, service work… caring about the world in which we live has been a long time credo for the Kinette & Kinsmen Clubs of Cranbrook.
Most recently the two groups decided to join forces and will now be known as the Kin Club of Cranbrook lead by President Crystal Kenyon. One of their first orders of business was to unanimously vote through a financial gift of $1,000 to be directed to East Kootenay Foundation for Health’s ‘A Clear View ~ digital mammography campaign.’
“To have the Kin Club of Cranbrook step forward to be one of our lead gifts for the digital stereotactic mammography campaign is very moving and is a continuing testament to the efforts of their members,” explained Donna Grainger.
Be a part of the picture… have a clear view in the fight against breast cancer, please donate today at www.aclearview.ca.
