To my wonderful community,

Each trip around the sun is a wonderful reminder of the things that amaze, inspire, and endure, but also of the things that really matter. This year again, particularly in a wild world that seems to truly spin in new and weird ways, I have been overcome by the power of art and community. And I continue to be awestruck by the way in which the Ottawa Art Gallery reveals and ennobles this power.

This year, though, I was particularly struck in the OAG’s collaboration with long-time community-builder, art patron, and collector, Bill Staubi. Bill began collecting the year before I was born, and in the decades that have followed, he has created a community of creativity, beauty, and patronage. It is incredible the number of artists I have spoken to who remember Bill as the first purchase of their work – how much it meant to them, their affirmation as an artist, and how it has propelled their practice and sense of belonging in this place.

This year for my birthday, I am keen to propel this spirit forward. The OAG has announced its intention to create the Bill Staubi Acquisition Fund, dedicated to the purchase of a work from an emerging artist, with preference given to artists from the 2SLGBTQ+ community. The funds from this birthday campaign will be the seed fund in advance of the public launch of the Fund and its associated drive. I will be helping with a seed gift, and would be so thrilled if you could help me mark one more year on this planet with this commitment to art, community, and the profound power of supporting emerging creators. Thanks in advance for your support!

Mark