15 | O akville B eaver | T hursday,July 14,2022 insidehalton.com "When you've gone through what I've gone through and survived, you need something to hold onto." Ethel Grossmann shares her life mantra - Enjoy every moment and live life to the fullest. Above all, learn to laugh at yourself. The Journey Manitoba-born Ethel Grossmann and her husbandmoved toOakville In1973.Thoughartwork she created while attending teacher's college was displayed in numerous art shows, painting was still just a recreational activity for Grossmann. In the late 1970's she enrolled in Interior Design at Sheridan College and realized then that the art classes within the program gave her the most joy. In 1983, artist mentor Betty Goodfellow suggested she submit a portfolio to the University of Toronto's Fine Arts Program. "I was over the moon with excitement when I was accepted, but I couldn't afford to attend at the time," Grossmann recounts. After the passing of her mother in 1994, Ethel searched for solace in art and enrolled in classes at the Oakville Art Society. Watercolours and acrylics became her favoured medium and by 1998, creating became her full time focus. Her first professional show took place at Season's Restaurant in 2003. By broadening her knowledge traveling to other countries, Ethel began incorporating crayon and Benjamin Moore paints into her pieces. Her use of colour is the most significant aspect. Grossmann accentuates the contrasts and attention to the focal point in her work by her use of pigment straight from the tube. Without diluting it, the image is given an explosive presence in her watercolours. Paint for the Cure In 2013 Ethel was diagnosed with breast cancer. Conquering the battle against the disease inspired Grossmann to create a charitable event in 2015, Paint for the Cure. Seven other cancer survivors were invited to participate and a staggering 50 per cent of the proceeds were donated by each artist to the Canadian Cancer Society. Now at the age of 80, Ethel struggled, as others did, with being at home for prolonged periods during COVID-19 restrictions. She turned to her artwork, deciding that another Paint for the Cure event was well overdue. This time as a solo artist, she'll showcase her artwork at Seasons Restaurant, where she had her first show. "I was trying something new. Most of the pieces for this event are signed reproductions; only one copy from each original. This technique creates more affordable art. The paintings are on canvas so they're easier to transport and the resolution of colour is spectacular," Ethel explains. $150.00 will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society from each piece sold, toward breast cancer research. Ethel Grossmann's work will be showcased at Seasons Restaurant until the end of July. Michele Bogle is a local freelance journalist who writes about Food & Entertainment. She has 8 published children's books under the pseudonym of Cameron S. Matthews. Michele is also a publicist for entities in the Food & Entertainment industries. Paint for the Cure's exhibit by artist ethel Grossmann at seasons restaurant in oakville Article by: Michele Bogle