I Hate Chemotherapy but not quite as much as I Hate Cancer. Seriously. Enough already.
This time, in a super alarming bit of business, it’s affecting young, Toronto based, Sheridan grad Gian Carlo Drueco. Here’s some of his beautiful work:
If Sex and Beauty could cure cancer (and why can’t it dammit!), Gian would be well on his way but instead, why not raise a (free) glass in support of him at Silverline Studios later this week. Here’s the info:
Back by popular demand, it’s time to wine, dine and SHINE at Silverline Studios!
Last year we had a party and it was a marvelous success and this year we thought we’d give it another go… and for a good cause!
This year’s event is also a fundraiser! Give what you can at the door and help Toronto-based photographer (and dear friend) Gian Carlo Drueco in his fight against metastatic colon cancer. There’s an open bar and also a silent auction to help raise some money for Gian. A lot of amazing things are being donated to the auction, if you are interested in adding something please contact Helen Yousif! helenyousif@gmail.com
Recently diagnosed, this 29-year-old emerging talent is, like many photographers in our city, freelance and will be unable to work while undergoing chemotherapy. We’re hoping you’ll give and give generously.
If you’re unable to make it to the party but would still like to donate you can head over to helpgianbeatcancer.4ormat.com and donate directly via PayPal. You can also find the invite to the party on that website. Also, if you’d like to check out Gian’s work, you can find it here.
Please RSVP to shine@silverline-studios.com by May 16th. Can’t wait to see you!
That’s right- HMAb is entering the world of curation with a show at PIKTO in June. Check out the lovely poster designed by uber talented Katina Constantinou featuring a wicked shot by Rodrigo Daguerre:
I’m super excited that PIKTO has invited me to curate a show in their gallery space. This is a completely new experience for me and so it was important to show not only shooters that I admired, but work that may have been overlooked.
In this case, I’ve chosen 6 photographers who have work that ties loosely to a theme of youth. There will be wide variety in the show: still life shooter Natasha V is providing an interpretation, Derek Shapton is showing landscapes, Lee Towndrow has shot a theatrical and inverted take on youth culture. Mark Peckmezian is well known for his B&W snapshots of sexy young things, Johan Hallberg-Campbell’s brings back portraits of young people from Attawapiskat and newcomer Rodrigo Daguerre has a stylized yet classic approach to his portraiture.
Watch this space for more work from these shooters and background on the show itself.
I’m torn. I like both videos. Photographically speaking though I’ll take Hugo over Ballen but not by too much. My husband is voting for the Hugo video. You?
I’m sure you’ve seen the Ballen but may have missed the Hugo last year. Here they are. Watch them again with an open mind and discuss:
Well last weekend’s HMAb: The Fundraiser was a blast. The Gladstone was packed with a delightful mix of photographers, agency folks and friends; all of us framed by fantastic artwork. Plus, the talks were amazing: Brett Gundlock, Naomi Harris and Daniel Ehrenworth really outdid themselves, showing great work and letting us in on the whys and the next steps behind a bunch of interesting projects.
And now, dear reader, I am happy to say that your generousity amounted to just over $9,500 and exponentially more in good feelings and raised spirits! You are truly an inspired and supportive community.
So I’ll start my long list of Thank You’s with these crazy three: Jamie Rosenthal, Lisa Kannakko and Kristin Sjaarda have gone above and beyond, helping me feel up when I’ve felt down. Despite having no previous event-planning experience, they threw an amazingly successful party!
Also, a million thanks to our sponsors (who’s logo’s I’d love you to click on to the right). Also thanks to the photographers who donated prints and to Alice Dixon who made them look so fantastic in the room that night:
Plus, thanks to my Sheridan students, who volunteered in droves for the evening, to Rebecca Baran and Claire Foster who ran the door and to Rachel Wine who was a big support as the team staffed up in the weeks before the event.
And, thanks to all of you who have been shockingly charitable with your financial donations. There are too many of you to name here but it truly means so much to me that you would give so generously.
I hope the next HMAb party happens under less ominous circumstances but the enthusiasm in the crowd at the Fundraiser certainly tells me that these gatherings are important and useful. On that note, check out the new artist lecture series, Flightpath which is the brainchild of Eugen Sakhnenko and Erika Jacobs who run the excitingly informative Toronto based photography blog Knock Twice. The first event happens February 28th- I hope I’m feeling well enough to see you there.
Until then, a million thanks from my family and myself. You’ve done a lot to validate the work I’ve put into this blog and really proven that our community is strong, vital and capable of amazing things- both photographically and otherwise.
One last feature! Toronto-born, NY-based photographer Naomi Harris was kind enough to donate an image to Heather’s fundraiser AND was a guest speaker at the event. Naomi just launched her brand new website and is active on Twitter. Her book, America Swings, was published by Taschen and is available on Amazon. Naomi has started to spend more time shooting in Canada and is currently working on a 6-week-long project for the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
HMAb: The Fundraiser is TONIGHT at the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto from 7pm-midnight! Advance tickets are sold out. The venue’s capacity is 250 people and we’ve sold 225 tickets online. So there will be a limited amount of tickets available at the door. Naomi Harris, Daniel Ehrenworth and Brett Gundlock will be speaking about their [...]
HMAb: The Fundraiser is taking place Sunday, February 5th at the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto from 7pm-midnight! Advance tickets are sold out. The venue’s capacity is 250 people and we’ve sold 225 tickets online. So there will be a limited amount of tickets available at the door. Naomi Harris, Daniel Ehrenworth and Brett Gundlock will [...]
HMAb: The Fundraiser is taking place TOMORROW NIGHT at the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto from 7pm-midnight! Advance tickets are sold out. The venue’s capacity is 250 people and we’ve sold 225 tickets online. So there will be a limited amount of tickets available at the door. Naomi Harris, Daniel Ehrenworth and Brett Gundlock will be [...]
Just a quick reminder: HMAb: The Fundraiser is taking place on February 5th at the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto. Tickets cost $10 and can be purchased in the right-hand column of this blog are now Sold Out- but there will be a limited number available at the door. Naomi Harris, Daniel Ehrenworth and Brett Gundlock [...]
Just a quick reminder: HMAb: The Fundraiser is taking place on February 5th at the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto. Tickets cost $10 and can be purchased in the right-hand column of this blog are now Sold Out- but there will be a limited number available at the door. Naomi Harris, Daniel Ehrenworth and Brett Gundlock [...]
