Part of the havoc wrought by the coronavirus is that artists of all kinds now find it increasingly and fearfully hard to pay their bills and stay afloat. To help them, the painter Makoto Fujimura and his International Arts Movement have launched the Hilary Teachout Grant, an emergency relief grant for performing and other artists. It is named after my beloved wife Hilary, who died on March 31. Hilary’s passionate love of all the arts was boundless—no audience ever had a more enthusiastic member—and it is deeply gratifying to me to know that this grant will honor her blessed memory.
As part of the ongoing fundraising effort to support the Hilary Teachout Grant, my old friend Mako has donated one of his much-admired indigo-ink-and-gold watercolors, which will go to the winner of a lottery open to those who donate $1,000 or more. Needless to say, though, contributions of any size are enthusiastically welcomed. I hope that those of you who have read in this space about Hilary’s long struggle with pulmonary hypertension, the rare disease that finally claimed her life, will consider making a tax-deductible donation.
To make a donation in Hilary’s name, or to apply for a grant, go here.
In the video below, Mako tells more about the Hilary Teachout Grant:
