‘They can be yours’: Huntsville artist donates 2 inspired watercolours to Artists for Inclusion online auction

Christopher Pierce, a visual artist and Huntsville resident, contributes two inspired watercolours to Community Living Huntsville’s online auction Artists for Inclusion to ‘do my part for the community.’ Photo by Community Living Huntsville.

Art has always been a passion for Christopher Pierce.

“I was thinking of what I wanted to be when I grew up. Every child asks themselves that question,” he says. “I found I was artistic.”

Pierce, a visual artist and Huntsville resident, has contributed two pieces, “Stonehenge” and “Lock Ness”, to Community Living Huntsville’s online art auction Artists for Inclusion held June 14 to 30.

And he will have additional work on display at Pharmasave Huntsville, 29 Main St. E., for the Huntsville Festival of the Art’s Huntsville Art Crawl in June, too.

A life of artistic passion

Pierce says when he was a child he often found himself doodling or sketching cartoon characters and superheroes. He soon knew he wanted a career as an artist.

“I wanted to be able to express myself through my art,” he says.

After elementary school in Huntsville and secondary school in Bracebridge, he enrolled in Georgian College’s Art and Design Fundamentals program to hone his artistic skills. The program offered insight into different art methods and mediums, such as clay, computer graphics, acrylic painting and printmaking. He also studied pen and ink, and watercolour, and continued to explore illustration, too, as he now pursues a career as a graphic novelist.

Artistic inspiration

His current work often combines pen and ink with watercolour on subjects inspired either by existing photography or his own creative thought. His work frequently explores perspective, and the profound meanings and attributes of life.

He says the art crawl offers an opportunity to publicly show his work, something he has rarely done until now, and list them for sale. So, too, did the art auction. But he says he also wanted to participate in the auction to “do my part for the community” as well.

“My hope with both the art auction and the art crawl is that, when people see my art, they will possibly know me a bit better and, if they so choose, they may take one or more pieces home with them,” says Pierce. “I would very much like for (the pieces) to have a new home.”

All his pieces were originals.

“If any art pieces catch your eye, they can be yours,” he says.

How the auction helps community

Funds raised by the Artists for Inclusion online auction will help sustain Community Living Huntsville’s Pathways Program for adults, who live with developmental disabilities, but are deemed ineligible for government funding and support. The program, offered for free to individuals and families in need, relies on donations and fundraised dollars to help people live the lives they choose, whether with planning, goalsetting, housing, employment, government system navigation, community participation or others supports and services as needed.

The aim is always independence and community inclusion without barriers or labels.

“It has been noted to me, I don’t know how many times, that I have autism, but it is not something that has slowed me down before, and it’s not going to stop me now,” says Pierce.

How to get involved

Community Living Huntsville’s Artists for Inclusion has more than 50 fine arts and crafts items from renowned artists, craftspeople and donors on auction. Items are available to view online at the Gala Bid website and registration is now open.

Items will also be on public display at Community Living Huntsville’s Old Stone Schoolhouse, 99 West Rd., Huntsville, as one of the stops on the Huntsville Art Crawl, presented by the Huntsville Festival of the Arts, when COVID-19 public health measures allow.

Community Living Huntsville is a not-for-profit, registered charity that supports and advocates alongside people with developmental disabilities to live, work and play in unique and purposeful ways in North Muskoka. Find more at clhuntsville.ca or follow @clhuntsville on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.