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Artist offers paintings for community fundraiser

A Sunshine Coast artist has stepped up to help both the local arts community and those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic – and she’s hoping other creators also find ways to support local businesses and causes.
Liz Christian
Sashay (left) by Liz Christian, is 26x30 inches and framed. Room With a View is 36x36 inches, wired and ready to hang.

A Sunshine Coast artist has stepped up to help both the local arts community and those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic – and she’s hoping other creators also find ways to support local businesses and causes. 

Gibsons painter Liz Christian has offered up two of her original acrylic-on-canvas paintings for sale, with the entire proceeds to be split between the Sunshine Coast Food Bank, and The Kube Studios and Gallery in Gibsons. 

“What really alarmed me was all the [now closed] small businesses and people that work in them,” Christian said in an interview. “Especially what came home to me was The Kube, because they’re a real hub for us artists and they’ve always supported me and other people, and they’ve closed their doors now – not for good, but who knows? 

“And with the food bank, I think there might be a problem with a little less donations. So, I just thought, what can I do? I know that people aren’t in a spending mood, but there are lots of people on the Coast who could afford to buy a piece of art in order to receive something, and in order to donate.” 

Christian, who paints mostly semi-abstracts, said she purposely chose to offer a couple of “happy, bright, whimsical paintings,” with a “lightheartedness to soothe one’s soul when needed.” The 24-by-36-inch Sashay comes with a frame and is ready to hang. She hopes it will bring in $350, which would be donated to The Kube. The other work is the 36-by-36-inch Room With a View. It is not framed but is wired and ready to hang, she said. Christian is asking $400 for it, which would be donated to the food bank. She said she will consider reasonable offers for the paintings. “Remember, this is for them, not me.” 

Christian also said she would like to see a broader community effort similar to her fundraising project. “There should be something like a GoFundMe for your favourite business or a business that always supported you, that people could do with their own art or other things, or to just donate to.” She said she doesn’t personally have the time or the technical ability to organize that kind of effort. 

“There might be somebody that just goes, ‘I know all about that. I’ll take the bull by the horns and set this up,’” she said. 

Anyone interested in buying one of Christian’s fundraising paintings can email the artist at liz@lizchristianart.com