An email from Patrick Connors
Thanks to all of you for keeping this important rally going. Although it is challenging, the effort to keep the Gross Clinic in Philadelphia is doable. As many of you know the PMA, as of last week, has raised over one-third of the money. Donations continue to come in, this is good! Thanks to the “Button Brigade” sales we have donated hundreds of dollars to the Eakins Masterpiece Fund (that’s a lot of buttons) and raised public consciousness. Recently the California Literary Review published an excellent essay on the “Gross Clinic Affair.” You can read it here.
A copy for the cause
In an effort to publicly demonstrate the magnitude and mastery of Eakins, Philadelphia painter and Pa. Academy alum Charles Cushing is doing a full-scale copy (8 x 6.5 feet) of the “Gross Clinic” at Two Penn Center, 15th and Arch Streets [Libby: Correction on address in first comment at end of post] between the hours of 1-5PM. He will sell his copy and part of the sale will benefit the Eakins Fund. Go down and cheer him on.
PMA, Sunday, 10 December, 11AM-Noon.
Stop by and say hello to the “Button Brigade,” PMA, Sunday, 10 December, 11 AM-Noon.
Once again, thanks to everyone for coming out and supporting the Philadelphia regional arts community efforts to keep Eakins’ “The Gross Clinic” here in Philadelphia. To this end we are dedicated to making the general public aware of the magnitude of this masterpiece and how crucial that it remains here. Philadelphia continues to be a city with a long and noble tradition in being “an artist’s town.”
Let’s meet next week, Sunday 10th December, at The Philadelphia Art Museum at the base of the stairs across from the Eakins Oval at 11 AM-Noon. Afterwards, go visit the museum, enjoy their fine collections, housed in that gorgeous building, including the Eakins Collection of paintings and sculptures.
For those of you who wish to make a donation please call: 215. 684. 7762. or via the Internet. (If you specify that your donation is a pledge the money will be return to you if the $68 million is not raised.)
For those of you wanting to know about other efforts to keep the painting in the city, please contact Norman Keyes, Jr. at the Art Museum at 215. 684. 7862 or via the Internet: nkeyes@philamuseum.org
—Patrick Connors is a Philadelphia artist an organizer of the grassroots effort to keep the Gross Clinic in Philadelphia
