Art Show Helps Fund FernCare Free Clinic
(Crystal A. Proxmire, March 13, 2016)
Ferndale, MI – Art and good health go hand in hand, especially when it’s an art gallery fund raiser for a free health clinic for people without health insurance.
Level One Bank hosted an exhibition opening on March 11, featuring the work of Brad Gravelle and Tom Livo, as a fundraiser for the FernCare Free Clinic. The clinic provides care for people at no cost, but relies on donations to operate.
The goal for the Friday night art show and silent auction was $300. “Well, needless to say, we showed them what we are made of. With the combined efforts of the entire Ferndale team, we raised $2309.76 for Ferncare,” said branch manager Darren Bolsby.
Anita’s Kitchen donated food for the event, and several artists and businesses donated items for the auction. Gravelle and Livo also donated part of the proceeds from sale of artwork.
Gravelle and Livo share a studio space in Westland called Studio 209.
Livo’s work mainly featured landscapes, including brilliant images of waves on water. He began painting in 1978 as a student of Helen Cunniff, learning from her the act of “letting go.”
“To her it was just let it flow, let it flow,” Livo said. “I learned how to trust the medium, not just stick with a plan, but let the experience awaken the soul.”
Gravelle was an art teacher in Wayandotte Schools for about 30 years. While teaching he did not do much work of his own. I’d teach art all day so I’d go home and not want to think about art,” he said. But when he retired the love came back to him, and he was able to put what he taught – and what he learned from his students – into practice.
“Kids are so honest,” Gravelle said. “The thing that stuck with me most was that when I started as an artist I wanted to have complete control. I was so serious about everything. Learning to laugh with the kids was the best lesson. The students taught me that.”
Level One Bank regularly works with the Ferndale Arts and Cultural Commission to host art shows in the bank’s gallery space, but combining it with a fundraiser for the clinic was a special twist. Bank employees even surprised the FernCare team of volunteers with several green first aid kits made into donation containers which helped bring in more money and can be used for future fundraisers.
“FernCare is an amazing organization that does so much to help people. Where are we without our health? It’s an honor being able to help them carry on with the work they do,” Bolsby said. The event raised enough money to cover one full clinic day, helping about 40 uninsured people get the medical care they need.
Learn more about FernCare Free Clinic at www.ferncare.org.
Learn more about Level One Bank, including the Level One Gallery, at www.levelonebank.com.