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Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
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Thursday, March 28

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« "Last Evenings on Earth" At Cafe Wha Who? The Book of Eli, The Lovely Bones, The White Ribbon, A Town Called Panic, and The Spy Next Door »

Art Thu Jan 14 2010

RIP Flo McGarrell (or Give to the Haiti Relief Effort and Get Some Art in Return)

flo.jpg Photograph via Art21

I do not normally do this but this one is from the heart, as they say. I found out less than an hour ago that someone I know died in Haiti. I have never been, nor did I have any inclination to travel to Haiti, but many people that I know have done just that. Two in particular were in Haiti during the recent earthquake.

sue.jpgSue Frame, who I had lived and worked with for a number of years, thankfully survived although Flo McGarrell did not. I did not know Flo well enough to feel comfortable speaking about him too much, but I will say he was one of the strongest people I knew, and although I may not have spent long hours getting to know Flo, I do know there is an absence in the world without him.

Sue and Flo were in Jacmel, Haiti, building an artist's center. The last I heard was that there was trouble getting the container of tools they had collected past customs. That school has fallen down the priority list, now that things like fresh water have been added to the list of needs of the Haitian people.

In response to this loss of a Chicago Area artist, there is a small group of Chicagoans starting an art raffle to help give back to those giving to Haiti. If you are an artist, artisan or anyone willing to donate items to this raffle, please upload images and descriptions to this flickr page. Every $5 donated to Doctors Without Borders between Wednesday the 13th and Thursday the 21st will buy you one raffle ticket; just send your confirmation letter to AlexPolotsky@gmail.com. For more information, visit haitiaidraffle.wordpress.com/. Thank you.

 
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Pink / January 14, 2010 7:50 PM

Fyi, I believe that Flo is male-identified.

MartinJon / January 14, 2010 10:36 PM

totally my fault I corrected my original post.

CassandraLidin / January 14, 2010 11:56 PM

I love you Flo. Thank you for being an inspiration to so many.

Kelly Shindler / January 15, 2010 9:54 AM

Hi Gapers Block, Please credit this image from its correct source, which is the Art21 blog. We profiled Flo on August 28, 2009 here.

Andrew Huff / January 15, 2010 2:32 PM

Apologies, Kelly. We've added proper credit. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

nogape / January 15, 2010 3:09 PM

wow really gapers block???

really at a time like this??!?


wow

Jacoby / January 15, 2010 9:35 PM

Flo was an artist in residence in Roswell, NM who had the same studio I did right before I arrived. Looking back on Flo's emails, the garden he grew, and the many great stories of Flo, I am reminded of Flo's generous spirit and I feel called to action.

Lily / January 16, 2010 1:25 AM

Flo was a nice person. i was at the artist residence with my mum and dad and flo was there. we played croquet together. i will miss flo

Andrew Huff / January 17, 2010 1:54 PM

@nogape Not sure what you're reacting to there. Could you explain? Wow what?

Halla Sun / January 19, 2010 9:59 PM

I think what nogape meant, at least this was my impression was "Is it appropriate to ask for recognition of your work on an obituary. Surely Flo was the important one here'.

nogape / January 25, 2010 2:38 PM

yes im sorry gapers

i was so pissed, i meant

art21.

seriously kelly.

how tasteless of art21, disguting

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Architecture Tue Nov 03 2015

Paul Goldberger Describes the "Pragmatism and Poetry" of Frank Gehry's Architecture in His New Book

By Nancy Bishop

Architecture critic Paul Goldberger talks about Frank Gehry's life and work in a new book.
Read this feature »

Steve at the Movies Fri Jan 01 2016

Best Feature Films & Documentaries of 2015

By Steve Prokopy

Read this column »

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