Wed, March 27: The Gallery, Store, and Offices are closed today due to flooding around the Torpedo Factory.

Who is Hygeia?
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Who is Hygeia?

The Journey of Hygeia


In conjunction with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the juried show at The Art League Gallery in May 2010 was Curves, featuring works based on and celebrating the human figure. The Art League wanted to tie in a fundraising event for breast cancer awareness while maintaining a connection to the arts.

Art League member Paula Stern serves on the Board of Directors of Avon Products, Inc. and encouraged The Art League to donate the proceeds from the fundraising event to the philanthropic arm of the organization, which promotes a dual mission of supporting breast cancer research as well as domestic and gender violence awareness.

Lisa Schumaier, Torpedo Factory artist and Art League member, was approached to create a sculpture to connect the fundraising event and The Art League exhibit. She created a papier-mâché figure of Hygeia, the Greek and Roman goddess of health and cleanliness.

The Art League donated funds raised to the Avon Foundation through “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Ta-ta’s” team. Donations were collected as individuals wrote a message of remembrance or victory on a strip of pink paper. These strips were applied to the figure of Hygeia. Many Torpedo Factory artists donated pink paper in various shades, which was put to use overlapping Hygeia’s newsprint-covered frame. Lisa further encouraged the success of the drive by pulling the sculpture out into the middle of the Torpedo Factory on weekends, talking to people about the cause, and asking for donations. Throughout the course of the fundraising event, visitors to the Torpedo Factory and The Art League donated over $500.

View the journey of Hygeia here.

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