I am a music industry consultant that brought musical talent to the attention of Susan Marchese and helped her judge that talent and determine the winners for her annual Harc Foundation Award Event.Among the musical award winners the year I participated was a young man by the name of Loren Gold who went on to be one of the premier music directors in the country.He has served as M.D, to Kelly Clarkson, Roger Daultry, Hillary Duff,Dancing with the stars,American Idol,to name a few.There is no doubt in my mind that Harc Award launched his career.....Harvey Cooper
I am proud to say that I've had a connection with HARC for twenty years now. I have been a donor and a Board Member and I feel I have dealt with highly talented and ethical people.
I had the opportunity to attend the “Gifts From the Soul” event at the HARC foundation in October of 2010. The event included an exhibit of works by photographer A.M. Rousseau entitled “Surveillance Frameworks” and a play “Bringing Out The Beauty” by Robert Michael Morris. My compliments to the HARC foundation for organizing a fabulous show.
The talents of these artists and performers were quit impressive to say the least. I thank the foundation for providing a venue for the creators to show their work and for the gift that the viewer receives in having the chance to experience it.
The HARC Foundation and HARC's Mission to recognize, support and promote emerging Creative Artists and use the Creative Arts to help rehabilitate abused and neglected children is essential in fostering and maintaining a healthy society. For the past 20 years, HARC has worked tirelessly to achieve this purpose and the community at large - both creative artists, abused children and the general public - have benefited in numerous ways.
I am an artist and a photographer who has published my work, won awards, and shown my photography and painting in many groups shows, but I was not able secure that most important milestone in any visual artists career : a solo show of my work in Los Angeles. In order for the public to understand the direction and import of an artists ideas, it is critical for any artist to be able to show a full body of work, in one place, all together, rather than piecemeal, one work in a group show with others, here and there.
I applied to the Harc Foundation and was thrilled to find that out of a great many applicants I had won the prize of a one-person exhibit in Los Angeles. The Harc Foundation secured an appropriate and convenient venue for the exhibit, provided financing to produce the work, printed attractive invitations, helped me hang the work, publicized the show, invited the press, critics and other important figures in the art world, and arranged for a substantial opening night reception.
The event went off beautifully and was a huge success. Because of this show, there has been a dramatically increased interest in my work and the opening up of many other opportunities still evolving, which would not have been available to me if I had not had a solo show in Los Angeles. Curators, critics and gallerists who had previously not paid much attention, were now willing to take a second look. The show was a turning point in the development of my career as an artist that has had significant impact. I am enormously grateful to the Harc Foundation for helping me make this step. I also know that there are many other worthy artists, quietly doing excellent work, yet constantly struggling to open that one door to an opportunity for wider recognition. I hope that the Harc Foundation can continue to do for others what it has done for me.
I have had the pleasure to meet Susan Marchese, the founder of the HARC foundation, as a recipient of one of their grants.
What transpires at first sight talking to Susan, is the sense of mission and the enthusiasm that drives her in being part of the structural support for artists in many disciplines.
Susan, being a talented artist as well, is very sensitive to the needs of the creative and it has been refreshing not just to be able to share with her the challenges that an artist encounters in his/her career, but especially hearing her total understanding matured by her experience, reinforced by her genuine empathy, balanced by constructive suggestions.
It is very important to mention that the HARC foundation has created a synergy between artists and children in need of emotional healing. It is trough the creative process that children can find freedom from the shame, anger and sadness connected with abuse of any kind. At the same time the artists who are involved in these programs benefit from the experience as it deepens their capacity of understanding the power of the emotional issues and at the same time allows the artist to access the creative process at a deeper level.
The HARC Foundation is a necessary tool that I hope will be awarded for the magnitude of its service to the community, but in order to keep doing the outstanding work that I have had the pleasure to witness and benefit from, it needs the support from all of us.
The HARC Foundation is a very important, and exquisitely run non-profit whose mission is to find and support artists while rehabilitating children. It is a huge undertaking and has been successful since its inception 20 years ago. The Director and founder, Susan Marchese is passionate, brilliant, organized, dedicated, and loyal to HARC. All at once. Susan has given painters, poets, playwrites, musicians, composers thousands of dollars in award moneys, but more important, she has given them jump starts into larger careers as well as confidence and stamina. I cannot say enough about HARC, its mission which is two fold, and its stamina and dedicated devotion.
I was honored to have a script I had submitted to the HARC Foundation's Competition for new works. I have never been treated with as much respect as a writer. I was kept fully aware of progress in the rehearsal process as I was in New York working and could not be physically present. The showcase performance was well received and had to be exteded to two (2) perfomances on the same day. My broher was able to attend and was most impressed, not only with the actors and the production, but the way he was treated as my representative.
The theme of the script of BRINGING OUT THE BEAUTY, about Matisse and his creation of the Chapel of the Holy Rosary at Vence, France, is about creativity, friendship, religion and the healing and salvivic effect of beauty on the human soul.
The HARC Foundation takes its mission seriously and certainly treats those involved with the utmost consideration. I only hope that my script helps them realize thier goals.
I have known Susan Marchese from the time the HARC Foundation was only an idea and watched her committement and dedication make it the organization that it is today.
The dual purposes of HARC- recognizing and fostering artistic creativity
which is crucial to individual and societal growth and using creative arts as a therapeutic method have gained wider recognition and acceptance today.
This is due in part because HARC is well run, and it's awards have clear guidelines and have resulted in the selection of truly deserving recipients.
Leadership at The Harc Foundation is totally committed to helping discover, nurture and promote emrging creative artists across all creative fields such as painting, sculpture, dance, drama, music composition and video/mult- media disciplines. After 20 years as Board Chairman, I am proud of the Emerging Artists we have honored as well as the CAT Award winners for whom we have provided scholarships to help them continue their graduate work in Creative Arts Therapy for abused and neglected children.
For 20 years, The Harc Foundation has applied 100% of all donations and funds to the HARC and CAT Awards and the events promoting these wionners. At no time does the Foundation use any funds for administrative purposes.
I have been proud to be a part of HARC's first 20 years and hope there are others out there who care enough about the art scene in America to become involved as a "patrion", donor or volunteer for the next 20 years.
Best wishes,
David N. Marchese
Chairman & CEO
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