An art sale in Winnipeg against AIDS in Africa

Grands ‘n’ more Winnipeg organized an art sale at the St. Vital mall on Sunday to fund the Stephen Lewis Foundation, which supports the grandmothers of orphans whose parents died of AIDS in Africa.

From 11 a.m. on Sunday, several hundred people flocked to the works of art presented for sale in the shopping center.

This eighth edition is a great success, according to Laurence Buenerd, volunteer for the event entitled Arts from the attic.

There were many, many people who were in the starting-blocks before opening to grab the artwork they were interested in. There was a huge line in front of the checkouts.she said.

According to her, the works are very varied with works by Manitoban, Aboriginal and other artists, but above all, they were numerous.

We recorded more than 3,000 works that were given to us through clearances, garage sales, paintings that belonged to the family, but also people who painted or whose parents painted, or even people who moved and who cannot or do not want to take these works.

The paintings vary in price, she assures, it’s $5 and there were a lot of works for $5, up to $45, 50. But let’s say the largest number of works are between $5 and $20.

She adds that the paintings were carefully evaluated by the various experts and committees responsible for the event and some of them, from prestigious artists, will sell for several hundred dollars.

Among those interested in these good deals to redecorate their homes was Vanessa Gaillard, who was one of the first people on site.

It’s crazy, people are waiting in front of their board because it opens at 11 a.m. and at 11:05 a.m., there were already many who had disappearedshe says.

I took eight, we stayed within the budget so it’s okay. […] There are indications about the artist and the work behind the paintings in general so that helps. But I didn’t come looking for rare gems, it’s more about falling in love. But there are expertsadds Vanessa Gaillard.

What’s also important is that it’s for a good causeshe admits.

A forgotten cause

Sharon Twilley, member of the organizing committee ofArts from the attic pour Grands ‘n’ More Winnipeg of which she has been a member since 2016, welcomes the success of the event and looks forward to the support it will bring to the cause.

We are talking about grandmothers to grandmothers. We help financially support these women in 14 African countries who did not expect to suddenly become mothers again because of the AIDS epidemicshe says.

The problem is that because cases of people with AIDS in North America are rare and increasingly easy to treat or help, we forget that in other countries in the world, this disease remains a scourge.

The organization claims to have been able to raise $30,000 in 2023, and Sharon Twilley adds that last year’s sale generated just under $35,000 for the cause.

Since 2006, these campaigns called Grandmothers to grandmothers generated more than $40 million across Canada.