Eric Waugh Recent News

Eric Waugh shows off the canvas reproduction of "Four Seasons of Fun" with Tom Lotrecchiano of "Canvas On Demand.com" and Susan Leckey – Senior Director of Camp Heartland.

Eric Waugh creates large scale mural for Camp Heartland on the season finale of "Extreme Makeover:Home Edition.

Montreal, May 8 th . – Canadian artist Eric Waugh will be featured on ABC's season finale of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Sunday May 20th . The two-hour finale benefits Camp Heartland, a summer camp for children affected by HIV/AIDS and their families. The show includes a makeover of the home of one of the Camp's children as well as a makeover of one of the camps. Waugh's contribution includes creating a 12' X 36' mural for the camp's new recreation center.

Mural Beautifies Recreation Center

Waugh, one of the most collected young artists in North America, has been involved with Camp Heartland for 12 years. Through donations of his art and various projects, Waugh has helped raise over $600,000.00 over the years for the Camp. Being one of the camp's biggest supporters made Waugh a perfect fit as the artist to paint a mural during the show. Eric worked with designer Michael Moloney to determine the mural placement in the stage area of the new recreational facility and then it was up to Waugh's artistic instincts, which lead to him to create a mural titled “Four Seasons of Fun.”

The mural depicts children playing at camp during each of the four seasons, and for the first time, Waugh incorporated angels in his work. For nearly 36 hours, Waugh painted around the clock, often times having to stop and come back in order for flooring, molding and lighting volunteers to complete each phase.

“The whole thing was surreal. You watch the show every week and think its just TV,” said Waugh. “To be there and experience it is a completely different feeling with so many emotional moments. It really was an uplifting time, I will never forget it.”

Additional Fundraiser Surprise

Since Waugh holds the camp so close to his heart, he decided to create an additional fundraising component by asking relatives, galleries, collectors and designers to sponsor his mural. Waugh was overwhelmed by the support he got and was thrilled to surprise the camp by announcing on the show that he raised tens of thousands of dollars including an in kind product donation from Canvas On Demand, www.canvasondemand.com .

Canvas On Demand is reproducing 1000 reproductions of ‘ Four Seasons of Fun' on stretched canvas to be sold for $149 each, with the total purchase price going to Camp Heartland. “Eric's huge heart and generosity of spirit is contagious” says Tom Lotrecchiano of Canvas On Demand, “we are happy to help him in his support of Camp Heartland.” “We are thrilled for Waugh to have the opportunity to participate in something as prestigious as Extreme Makeover ,” said Tom Lotrecchiano. “Not only is he a talented artist, but his passion for giving to others is extraordinary.” We urge everyone to watch this uplifting story unfold on ABC, May 20 th .

7pm/6C

Check your local listing for time of broadcast.

The Camp Heartland Story

A Simple Act of Kindness

In 1991, Neil Willenson, a native of Mequon, Wisconsin, was 20 years old and a senior at the University of Wisconsin- Madison. He was majoring in TV/Film and, upon graduation, had plans to seek a career as a feature film producer in Hollywood. All that changed, however, when Neil read the headline in his hometown newspaper: "AIDS hysteria in Mequon." A young boy with AIDS named Nile Sandeen was entering kindergarten in the small town of Mequon, and the community was up in arms. Fear and prejudice filled the air. At the center of all this controversy was a five-year-old boy who only wanted to go to school, who only wanted a chance to make friends.

When Neil read this story in his hometown paper, he knew he had to get involved. For the next two years, Neil got to know Nile. He got to know Nile's brother, Sean, and his mother, Dawn Wolff; an entire family affected by AIDS in the center of America's heartland. Neil compared his own life-history in Mequon to Nile's. On the sidewalks, streets and in the schools of Mequon, where Neil had found joy and friendship, Nile had found only isolation and despair. Fear, ignorance and prejudice had turned what had been a heartland for Neil Willenson into a wasteland for Nile Sandeen.

In 1993, Nile turned seven years old. Like millions of other children, more than anything, he wanted to go to summer camp. He wanted to run; to play in the sun with kids his own age. He wanted to sit around a campfire at the end of a day filled with fun activities and sing silly summer camp songs in the dancing firelight - to eat breakfast in a dining hall ringing with joy and activity.

A Life-Changing Mission

And so in 1993, inspired by Nile Sandeen, Neil Willenson founded Camp Heartland - a summer camp program that accepted both children infected with AIDS and children who were affected by the disease. The camp was equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities able to handle the special needs of immuno-compromised campers. It was a summer camping program where children living with HIV/AIDS could step out of the shadows of secrecy into the light of openness and honesty - a place where they could have the best week of their lives.

During that first summer, 73 children with AIDS were welcomed to Camp Heartland at a rented campsite in Wisconsin with funds raised by Neil Willenson and a few dozen college students. After five years of renting campsites around the country, Camp Heartland in 1997 purchased its own, permanent home: The Camp Heartland Center in Willow River, Minnesota.

Set amidst 88 wooded acres in Northern Minnesota, with access to three lakes and miles of wilderness trails, the Camp Heartland Center is an extraordinary haven. It is a light in the darkness for children who live every day of their lives in a thickly shadowed world of chronic illness and discrimination.

Making a Year-Round, Life-Long Impact

What began as Neil's quest to give one little boy a week of friendship and summertime fun, has now become a year-round community making a life-long impact for hundreds of children and their families. Year-round programs such as camp reunions, newsletters and holiday mailings, youth retreats and life enhancement programs reinforce young people's sense of belonging and well-being on an ongoing basis. As we look to the future, we're confident that with your help, the number of lives we can touch will be countless.



News Main Recent Articles Television and Radio appearances Eric Waugh's "Four Seasons of Fun" will only be available starting May 18th. Click the "Canvas on Demand Logo" for more information or to purchase your copy of "Four Seasons of Fun". Eric Acknowledeges all of his supporters and sponsors of the "Four Seasons of Fun" Mural. He could not have done it without you! COMPANIES Canvas on Demand Avionor Metaux Depot Inc Porthole Cruise Magazine NBC Miami Home Depot Sterling Development Westcoast Connection Promo-Professionnelle Steve's Music Store Tanglewood Guitars Top Art Pro Carpet Grid Iron Golf Classic Franco Harris Auction Depot Affairs of the Art Poetart Designs Carters Artistic Connections GALLERIES Vinings Gallery Seaside Art Gallery Taylor Kinzel Gallery Liss Gallery Slaymaker Fine Art Nan Miller Gallery Artists of the World Blu Fine Art Chasen Gallery Sundook Gallery INDIVIDUALS James & Tiffany Grippando Brian Bringolf Tibby DeJulio Deborah Powell Russ & Caroline Buyse Rhonda & Lawrence Friedman Ellie & Sonny Kaizer Jennifer Saxon Debbie Miller Cindy Cherry Shelley Rappaport Carrie & David Zaken Myrna Ram Eleanor Kaiser Kelly Hoolihan Earl & Marla Diamond Eileen & Lou Mandell Alane Mandell Barbara Paterson Steffi Gitlin Lieutenant Colonel Patricia Tilson	Eric Waugh shows off the canvas reproduction of "Four Seasons of Fun" with Tom Lotrecchiano of "Canvas On Demand.com" and Susan Leckey – Senior Director of Camp Heartland. Eric Waugh creates large scale mural for Camp Heartland on the season finale of "Extreme Makeover:Home Edition. Montreal, May 8 th . – Canadian artist Eric Waugh will be featured on ABC's season finale of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Sunday May 20th . The two-hour finale benefits Camp Heartland, a summer camp for children affected by HIV/AIDS and their families. The show includes a makeover of the home of one of the Camp's children as well as a makeover of one of the camps. Waugh's contribution includes creating a 12' X 36' mural for the camp's new recreation center. Mural Beautifies Recreation Center Waugh, one of the most collected young artists in North America, has been involved with Camp Heartland for 12 years. Through donations of his art and various projects, Waugh has helped raise over $600,000.00 over the years for the Camp. Being one of the camp's biggest supporters made Waugh a perfect fit as the artist to paint a mural during the show. Eric worked with designer Michael Moloney to determine the mural placement in the stage area of the new recreational facility and then it was up to Waugh's artistic instincts, which lead to him to create a mural titled “Four Seasons of Fun.” The mural depicts children playing at camp during each of the four seasons, and for the first time, Waugh incorporated angels in his work. For nearly 36 hours, Waugh painted around the clock, often times having to stop and come back in order for flooring, molding and lighting volunteers to complete each phase. “The whole thing was surreal. You watch the show every week and think its just TV,” said Waugh. “To be there and experience it is a completely different feeling with so many emotional moments. It really was an uplifting time, I will never forget it.” Additional Fundraiser Surprise Since Waugh holds the camp so close to his heart, he decided to create an additional fundraising component by asking relatives, galleries, collectors and designers to sponsor his mural. Waugh was overwhelmed by the support he got and was thrilled to surprise the camp by announcing on the show that he raised tens of thousands of dollars including an in kind product donation from Canvas On Demand, www.canvasondemand.com . Canvas On Demand is reproducing 1000 reproductions of ‘ Four Seasons of Fun' on stretched canvas to be sold for $149 each, with the total purchase price going to Camp Heartland. “Eric's huge heart and generosity of spirit is contagious” says Tom Lotrecchiano of Canvas On Demand, “we are happy to help him in his support of Camp Heartland.” “We are thrilled for Waugh to have the opportunity to participate in something as prestigious as Extreme Makeover ,” said Tom Lotrecchiano. “Not only is he a talented artist, but his passion for giving to others is extraordinary.” We urge everyone to watch this uplifting story unfold on ABC, May 20 th . 7pm/6C Check your local listing for time of broadcast. The Camp Heartland Story A Simple Act of Kindness In 1991, Neil Willenson, a native of Mequon, Wisconsin, was 20 years old and a senior at the University of Wisconsin- Madison. He was majoring in TV/Film and, upon graduation, had plans to seek a career as a feature film producer in Hollywood. All that changed, however, when Neil read the headline in his hometown newspaper: "AIDS hysteria in Mequon." A young boy with AIDS named Nile Sandeen was entering kindergarten in the small town of Mequon, and the community was up in arms. Fear and prejudice filled the air. At the center of all this controversy was a five-year-old boy who only wanted to go to school, who only wanted a chance to make friends. When Neil read this story in his hometown paper, he knew he had to get involved. For the next two years, Neil got to know Nile. He got to know Nile's brother, Sean, and his mother, Dawn Wolff; an entire family affected by AIDS in the center of America's heartland. Neil compared his own life-history in Mequon to Nile's. On the sidewalks, streets and in the schools of Mequon, where Neil had found joy and friendship, Nile had found only isolation and despair. Fear, ignorance and prejudice had turned what had been a heartland for Neil Willenson into a wasteland for Nile Sandeen. In 1993, Nile turned seven years old. Like millions of other children, more than anything, he wanted to go to summer camp. He wanted to run; to play in the sun with kids his own age. He wanted to sit around a campfire at the end of a day filled with fun activities and sing silly summer camp songs in the dancing firelight - to eat breakfast in a dining hall ringing with joy and activity. A Life-Changing Mission And so in 1993, inspired by Nile Sandeen, Neil Willenson founded Camp Heartland - a summer camp program that accepted both children infected with AIDS and children who were affected by the disease. The camp was equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities able to handle the special needs of immuno-compromised campers. It was a summer camping program where children living with HIV/AIDS could step out of the shadows of secrecy into the light of openness and honesty - a place where they could have the best week of their lives. During that first summer, 73 children with AIDS were welcomed to Camp Heartland at a rented campsite in Wisconsin with funds raised by Neil Willenson and a few dozen college students. After five years of renting campsites around the country, Camp Heartland in 1997 purchased its own, permanent home: The Camp Heartland Center in Willow River, Minnesota. Set amidst 88 wooded acres in Northern Minnesota, with access to three lakes and miles of wilderness trails, the Camp Heartland Center is an extraordinary haven. It is a light in the darkness for children who live every day of their lives in a thickly shadowed world of chronic illness and discrimination. Making a Year-Round, Life-Long Impact What began as Neil's quest to give one little boy a week of friendship and summertime fun, has now become a year-round community making a life-long impact for hundreds of children and their families. Year-round programs such as camp reunions, newsletters and holiday mailings, youth retreats and life enhancement programs reinforce young people's sense of belonging and well-being on an ongoing basis. As we look to the future, we're confident that with your help, the number of lives we can touch will be countless.