Wayne McArdle and Margaret MacKinnon
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Wayne McArdle and Margaret MacKinnon
Honoring Women Through Art
Saint Judas Thaddeus
AWA Board member Margaret MacKinnon decided that a saintly apostle from Nelli's Last Supper would be the perfect retirement gift to honor her stepmother-in-law, Beverley McLachlin, who retired from the Supreme Court of Canada in December 2017 after 28 years of service. Chief Justice McLachlin was the first woman to have been appointed chief of Canada's highest court, as well as the longest-serving Chief Justice in the court's history.
Among her many accomplishments, C.J. McLachlin championed the rights of Canada's indigenous peoples, stressed the importance of access to justice and transparency of the workings of the court, and improved the clarity and certainty of the law by achieving consensus in many of the court's most important decisions. A tireless speaker, she has travelled the globe, raising the profile and prestige of Canadian jurisprudence.
Which apostle would feel most at home with such a distinguished jurist? As the patron saint of lost causes, Saint Jude fits naturally with the chief justice of the court of last resort--which hears cases when all other avenues for redress have been exhausted.
Saint Judas Thaddeus
AWA Board member Margaret MacKinnon decided that a saintly apostle from Nelli's Last Supper would be the perfect retirement gift to honor her stepmother-in-law, Beverley McLachlin, who retired from the Supreme Court of Canada in December 2017 after 28 years of service. Chief Justice McLachlin was the first woman to have been appointed chief of Canada's highest court, as well as the longest-serving Chief Justice in the court's history.
Among her many accomplishments, C.J. McLachlin championed the rights of Canada's indigenous peoples, stressed the importance of access to justice and transparency of the workings of the court, and improved the clarity and certainty of the law by achieving consensus in many of the court's most important decisions. A tireless speaker, she has travelled the globe, raising the profile and prestige of Canadian jurisprudence.
Which apostle would feel most at home with such a distinguished jurist? As the patron saint of lost causes, Saint Jude fits naturally with the chief justice of the court of last resort--which hears cases when all other avenues for redress have been exhausted.
Jacqueline Anne Côté with granddaughter Alanna
Canadian Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin
Saint Simon
There is always one who is last to be picked for the team. In the case of Nelli's apostles, this was Saint Simon the Zealot, described as one of the most obscure among Jesus' disciples. Not wanting to leave him homeless, Margaret and her husband, Wayne McArdle, adopted Saint Simon in memory of Wayne's mother, Jacqueline Anne Côté.
Jacqui was an amateur artist who followed the tradition of copying the works of masters to learn their techniques. Among these were the iconic snow-covered landscapes of her native Quebec by Canadian artist Clarence Gagnon. When one of Gagnon's works was recreated on a Canadian stamp, Wayne (then age 9) believed it was his mother's talent that was being recognized by the postal service!
Later in life, Jacqui combined her interest in art with her nursing skills to practice art therapy under the rubric 'Art from the Heart'. Never without her sketch pad and drawing pencils, Jacqui encouraged her grandchildren to draw as a way to teach them to slow down and appreciate the world around them.
There is always one who is last to be picked for the team. In the case of Nelli's apostles, this was Saint Simon the Zealot, described as one of the most obscure among Jesus' disciples. Not wanting to leave him homeless, Margaret and her husband, Wayne McArdle, adopted Saint Simon in memory of Wayne's mother, Jacqueline Anne Côté.
Jacqui was an amateur artist who followed the tradition of copying the works of masters to learn their techniques. Among these were the iconic snow-covered landscapes of her native Quebec by Canadian artist Clarence Gagnon. When one of Gagnon's works was recreated on a Canadian stamp, Wayne (then age 9) believed it was his mother's talent that was being recognized by the postal service!
Later in life, Jacqui combined her interest in art with her nursing skills to practice art therapy under the rubric 'Art from the Heart'. Never without her sketch pad and drawing pencils, Jacqui encouraged her grandchildren to draw as a way to teach them to slow down and appreciate the world around them.
Marjorie Rose MacKinnon
The Art of Healing
Violante Ferroni's works in San Giovanni di Dio, originally a hospice for plague victims, are representative of a tradition of using art to enhance public spaces devoted to the well-being of those in need of shelter, care and comfort. The important role that art plays in such settings is increasingly being recognized or rediscovered.
The initial funding for the restoration of Ferroni's painting 'San Giovanni visits victims of the plague' resulted from a challenge issued by Margaret and Wayne. They promised to donate a substantial gift towards the restoration's costs--provided that other AWA Board members collectively contributed the remaining amount. Thanks to the generosity and willingness of the Board, we reached our goal within 24 hours.
Margaret and Wayne's donation to the Ferroni restoration is made in memory of Margaret's mother, Marjorie Rose MacKinnon. Marjorie was a dedicated health professional, having worked for many years as a nurse at Montreal's world-renowned Neurological Institute. Marjorie studied nursing in Vancouver, British Columbia. At the time, nursing students (invariably women) were forbidden to marry but, like many women who learn they must bend the rules to achieve what they want, Marjorie went ahead and eloped with her fiance to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. She completed her studies, with her wedding band out of sight but pinned close to her heart, and was chosen as valedictorian of her class. Her spirit and quiet determination were inspirational to her four children.
Margaret and Wayne are Canadians who have lived in London for many years and who now think of Florence as a second home. They are pleased to be able to honor these important women in their lives by contributing to the restoration of art by invisible women artists in their adopted city.
Violante Ferroni's works in San Giovanni di Dio, originally a hospice for plague victims, are representative of a tradition of using art to enhance public spaces devoted to the well-being of those in need of shelter, care and comfort. The important role that art plays in such settings is increasingly being recognized or rediscovered.
The initial funding for the restoration of Ferroni's painting 'San Giovanni visits victims of the plague' resulted from a challenge issued by Margaret and Wayne. They promised to donate a substantial gift towards the restoration's costs--provided that other AWA Board members collectively contributed the remaining amount. Thanks to the generosity and willingness of the Board, we reached our goal within 24 hours.
Margaret and Wayne's donation to the Ferroni restoration is made in memory of Margaret's mother, Marjorie Rose MacKinnon. Marjorie was a dedicated health professional, having worked for many years as a nurse at Montreal's world-renowned Neurological Institute. Marjorie studied nursing in Vancouver, British Columbia. At the time, nursing students (invariably women) were forbidden to marry but, like many women who learn they must bend the rules to achieve what they want, Marjorie went ahead and eloped with her fiance to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. She completed her studies, with her wedding band out of sight but pinned close to her heart, and was chosen as valedictorian of her class. Her spirit and quiet determination were inspirational to her four children.
Margaret and Wayne are Canadians who have lived in London for many years and who now think of Florence as a second home. They are pleased to be able to honor these important women in their lives by contributing to the restoration of art by invisible women artists in their adopted city.