Charitable Easels

What motivated you to create Art for the Heart? I've been in and out of China for twenty years, and this feels like a way to give something back. Also, when I was 23 months old, I had open heart surgery, so when the Xin Tu Community Health Promotion Centre asked what I'd like to raise money for, my first thought was children in need of open heart surgery. How desperate is the need for open heart surgery funding? Having spoken with doctors, I gather that an operation generally costs only ￥20,000-25,000, so there is a great need for people living outside of Shanghai which is who we're aiming to help. As an artist, how do you think art can help inspire people to aid causes like this? Well, look back a few centuries to Renaissance Europe. Art was a part of everyone's life, from the royal courts to the commoner looking at paintings in church. Today, art has become something very private. My own [way of offering] help is through painting. Art is warm, nourishing and done with love. To me, that is a good place to start when trying to make a difference, and China is a place where a lot can be done with the price of a painting. Wine, hors d'oeurves ... this is a pretty classy event. Why choose to market it this way? Ultimately, my partner and I would like to go beyond simply creating charity events. We'd love to bring a series of high-class events that combine art, good food, wine and music to both the Chinese and foreign communities. So this is the first in what is to become a series of charity events? Yes. Will these all benefit the same charity? Xin Tu Community Health Promotion Centre generally works with migrant families, so the next event may focus in that area. We've also begun to discuss restoring an antique harpsichord at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. For now, we take one event at a time.