YWCA Children Help Launch Sport-themed Art Exhibit at the YWCA Hotel

February 8, 2010

Vancouver, BC: Children from YWCA Crabtree Corner in the Downtown Eastside kicked off the ‘We Rock’ art exhibit by drawing with celebrated artist Ken Wesman, whose sport-themed works are featured at the YWCA Hotel during the Winter Olympics.

The exhibit runs from February 6 to 28, 2010 and paintings available for sale feature winter sports like hockey and skiing. As a longtime supporter of the YWCA, Wesman is donating half of the proceeds from the exhibit to YWCA community programs and services.

“I have in one way or another always been involved with the Y. It is sort of my second home,” says Wesman. “The YWCA has so much good to offer and now it's time for me to give back with my sport art.”

Wesman also has a long history with the Olympic Games – he was asked to create seven official images for the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in Calgary and produced images later that year for the Olympic Summer Games in Seoul.  Each resulted in exhibit sellouts and four of these images are now in both Olympic Halls of Fame: Olympics ’88 Volunteers, Calgary Magic, Seoul Magic and Opening Ceremonies.

This will be Wesman’s second fundraising art exhibit in support of the YWCA. The first, held in December 2005, was inspired by the World Junior Hockey Championships.

The YWCA Hotel is a 155-room property located in downtown Vancouver. Steps away from BC Place Stadium and the downtown core, the YWCA Hotel is in the hub of the city. Equipped with various amenities and services, the hotel offers great accommodation for any type of traveller. Revenue generated from the hotel supports YWCA Vancouver’s programs and services that benefit women and their families.

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For further information, please contact:

Sondi Bruner
Communications Coordinator
YWCA Vancouver
604 895 5767
sbruner@ywcavan.org