“Artist Comforts and Inspires"
By Mary Wenzel, The Marlborough Enterrprise
Thu Nov 01, 2007, 04:04 AM EDT
Marlborough - Marlborough native Michele Renee Ledoux, of Colorado, the daughter of Joan Ledoux and the late Robert Ledoux, will be on hand Nov. 7 for the unveiling of “Diamonds in the Rough,” a piece she was commissioned to do in honor of the 5th anniversary of Illuminations, a program at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Illuminations is an exhibition intended to offer enlightenment and encouragement to patients, families, staff and friends of the hospital’s cancer center.
In the spring, 15 of Ledoux's works were on display at the Illuminations Rotating Art Exhibit housed at the Massachusetts General Cancer Center.
Over the past few years, Ledoux has gained recognition as an artist (digital photography with poetry) both nationally and internationally, with more than five exhibitions in Italy alone in 2006.
Joan Ledoux said she is looking forward to a visit with her artist and graphic designer daughter, a 1986 Marlborough High School graduate.
“I don't know where she gets the inspiration for the poetry,” said Joan Ledoux. “That's what makes her works unique, the poetry.”
Her work intends to help shed light on the human experience and offers a visual reference point for inner reflection and healing. In this way, this exhibition represents an outstanding opportunity to connect the local community with the healing power of art.
“This work effectively reflects the inspiration of Ed Sullivan, the cancer patient who inspired Illuminations, while echoing the vision behind the program,” said Michele Ledoux in an email sent to describe her artwork.
“Damariscotta, a quaint fishing village in mid-coast Maine, was a favorite destination of Ed Sullivan, the cancer patient who inspired the Illuminations program,” she wrote.
“It is here, along the banks of the Damariscotta River, where 2,500 year-old oyster shell middens (heaps) are found and have been designated as a state historical site.
“In addition to the significance of this place and its connection to Ed Sullivan, the oyster itself is a powerful symbol. Its hardened, highly-calcified shell, created in order to protect its inner, soft body, can be likened to the human experience. Just as the oyster is very much affected by the brackish water in which it grows, we too are very much affected by our environment. Who and what we choose to surround ourselves with very much affects us. Like the oyster, throughout our lives, we tend to build up a hardened wall around our soul to protect ourselves from hurt. Times of disease, however, can often inspire a different choice and experience of life.”
The Opening Reception, hosted by Cancer Center, will be held in the Yawkey Outpatient Center, 2nd floor Mezzanine Level. Wine and appetizers will be served and there will be live Jazz Music from the Katie Thiroux Trio and a Silent Auction.
At the Nov. 7 event, two of Ledoux's three limited edition prints will be awarded and one print will be auctioned to the general public on the night.
The Fall 2007 Illuminations Retrospective Exhibit, celebrating the 5th year anniversary of the program, honors Sullivan and features artists who have participated in the program from 2001-2006. It runs through January 2008.
For more information about "diamonds in the rough," go to mledoux.com/index_fineart.htm. To review her online portfolio visit mledoux.com.Homecoming