Forces of Music and Reason
Oil on Canvas
~2023~

Sinead O'Connor's fearless protest against child abuse may have sparked worldwide outrage in 1992, but she was right nearly a decade later when in 2001 Pope John Paul II from the Vatican (and from a laptop) sent his first e-mail apologizing for sexual abuse cases. O'Connor was a critic of the abuse long before allegations of sexual abuse were widely reported. 

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Fast forward and down the Secret Path to the story of Chanie Wenjack and Gord Downie's mission to figure out and fix Canada's School system. In 2016, the Gord Downie-Chanie Wenjack Fund was established to help with reconciliation between Canada and Indigenous peoples. 

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This oil on canvas painting depicts a powerful story of two influential musicians with two distinct genres but shared the same life values in that they wanted to make things right during their short time here on earth. 

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I believe that sometimes, art has the power to spark honest dialogue about complex topics and to also challenge opinions and change hearts and minds. 

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