Dear Editor:
Over the past seven years, my husband Ken has survived many serious and life threatening health issues.
He accepted his early retirement from a very active business career as an opportunity of putting the same amount of energy into his many hobbies and community activities, which included the arts community.
Having rediscovered his joy in painting, he eagerly participates in the many art workshops offered in Cochrane. Looking forward to networking with fellow artists, he was delighted to be accepted by both the Foothills and Cochrane Art Clubs, eagerly attending their weekly sessions as his health allowed.
Since last summer his health again became precarious, with daily home-care visits, emergency calls, hospital stays over the fall months, which culminated with a five-and-a-half week exhaustive hospital stretch ending just prior to the April 13 Foothills Art Club Show.
Ken was thrilled to be contacted by the club and invited to be included in the show.
One of the club’s members, Anne Bercha, even picked up his paintings and set them up for display, as he still was not well enough to do so himself. This club certainly exemplifies the spirit of the community which we proudly call home.
Then there was the call from the Cochrane Art Club. Because Ken had missed attending many of the clubs meetings, he was informed that he could no longer show his work with them at their upcoming show. He explained the reason of his absence, his hospital stays, and health issues, but that did not matter. I guess he didn’t read the fine print of that club. . . you can only show if you are healthy, as compassion apparently does not exist with their executive members.
I am confident in saying that not all members of this club feel this way as many were unaware of the actions of their executive in this matter.
Again, thank you to Anne Bercha and the members of the Foothills Art Club for your caring and compassion. One of the activities Ken most looked forward to when coming home from his extended hospital stay was his painting and being able to show and share his work.
For those in the Cochrane Art Club who made the exclusion decision, maybe take note of the words of Adam Lindsay Gordon.
“Life is mostly froth and bubble,
Two things stand like stone,
Kindness in another’s trouble,
Courage in your own.”
Janny Hutchinson
