MEDIA COVERAGE, Montreal & Lac St. Jean
ART AND HOPE by Suzanne Caron, Hudson. June 29, 2009 to the Montreal Gazette.
Anyone who pays close attention to the Montreal news has probably noticed the name Cheryl Braganza cropping up frequently during the past year or so.
Montreal Gazette readers may have read Mike Boones write-up about her a few weeks back, or perhaps TV viewers caught her on the CTV news interview with Tarah Schwartz which was broadcast on June 11th. The written version mentioned, among other things, her upcoming solo show, and the televised interview took place at the exhibition referred to in Mike Boones article.
As a fellow artist and friend of Cheryls, I thought it fitting to do a follow-up regarding her solo exhibition titled My Journey Inward. It began with a vernissage on June 7th, and though originally planned as a one day event, it was so well attended that she extended the exhibition to last for the entire week.
Cheryl has shown her work in commercial galleries but is no stranger to the do-it-yourself art show, and in fact has been quite successful with this approach. Her most recent exhibition was no exception, save for the fact that this particular showing of 125 works dating from 1965 to the present, seemed to have touched an emotional chord in many people.
The entire exhibition space seemed to be bursting with colour and an overall feeling of joy and optimism permeated the room. Even the portraits of Afghan women, shy, and staring warily out at the observer, nevertheless possessed an attitude of hope, however distant. She knows a thing or two about hope and never giving up.
All things considered, one wouldnt expect such a positive outlook on life or the outpouring of joy that flows onto her canvases. For anyone who isnt familiar with Cheryls story, she is living with multiple myeloma, a form of bone cancer. Shes been through it once before, in 2005, went into remission after a long and painful journey with chemotherapy, and recently received the news that it is slowly creeping back. Nevertheless, she remains positive about the future.
Her passion for painting, piano playing at Café Griffintown and writing are some of the things that keep her going with an energy that is truly enviable. Her more recent paintings deeply reflect her commitment to life and living it fully, and the act of applying paint to canvas seems to offer up some kind of healing in and of itself.
And speaking of healing, right in the middle of the vernissage, a wonderfully kind Jewish man, Saul, who had seen the CTV program, entered and asked if she would allow him to perform a healing, something that would help her with the cancer. With her usual open-mindedness, she said yes and everyone who happened to be at the show participated. Encircling Cheryl, they all joined in the chanting of SHALOM . Apparently there wasnt a dry eye to be found when it was over.
Anyone who has the pleasure of calling Cheryl a friend, knows that adversity brings out the best in her. They also have noticed the amazing phenomenon of attraction. Strangers gravitate towards her, and she in turn has the capacity to bring those people together, if only for fleeting but memorable moments.
Is it her paintings, her poetry, her devotion to promoting equality for women, her music, or something which goes far beyond any of that? Ultimately, it doesnt need identifying or qualifying. It is what it is. People love her paintings and they love the woman who creates them. If love can sustain a person in times of crises, Cheryl will be around for a long time yet, creating brilliantly coloured images and teaching us all by example how to appreciate each and every day to the fullest
*********************************************************** OCTOBER 29, 2008: CJNT MONTREAL TV - interview with Khady on LE PONT taped at the TVA studios. In connection with a cross-cultural program which is featuring INDIA for the whole month of NOVEMBER. Cable TV 14/62/207.
OCTOBER 24, 2008: Montreal Gazette. Mike Boone on the Montreal Woman of the Year 2008 Award. Page A-7. 'A KEY PLAYER IN HUMANITARIAN CAUSES FINALLY GETS HER DUE'.
OCTOBER 9: GLOBAL TV QUEBEC coverage on the Evening and Late Night News of piano-playing gig at the Griffintown Restaurant, Notre Dame West.
SEPTEMBER 24, 2008: CBC RADIO ONE. House Guest on HOME RUN from 4 - 6 pm. Interview with Bernard St. Laurent. CD available.
SEPTEMBER 19,2008: Montreal Gazette article by Mike Boone "WHEN WOMEN'S CAUSE TRANSCENDS GENDER" related to Keynote Speaker at SAWA, McGill.
JULY 10 & 11, 2008: Global TV QUEBEC coverage by Paola Samuels (link available)
JULY 7, 2008: CBC TV coverage by Andrew Chang.
JULY 5 & 6, 2008: CBC RADIO ONE interview with Ange-Aimee Woods (CD available)
JULY 4, 2008: Montreal Gazette article by Mike Boone "MUSIC TO RUMMAGE BY"
SEPTEMBER 10, 2007: Interview with Mark Montgomery on RADIO CANADA INTERNATIONAL on THE LINK, Culture Corner. http://www.rcinet.ca:80/rci/console/index.asp?langue=en&idEmission=1925
September 2002: INDO CABLE, a division of GLOBAL, covered my Kirkland exhibit with an interview and conversations with guests attending. Anita Kumarsingh was the moderator. On video tape.
