14-Year-Old Art Prodigy Donates Painting to Raise Funds for Canadian Athletes

Ontario's Evan Sharma partners with CAN Fund, the country's leading supporter of athletes competing on the global stage

TORONTO, Feb. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Fourteen-year-old Ontario painter Evan Sharma is partnering with CAN Fund, the leading supporter of Canadian athletes competing around the world, to donate a new work painted at 7,000 feet that will directly support athletes on their journey to wear the maple leaf on the world stage.

Sharma, who is also a competitive ski racer, has raised more than $20,000 for charities through his art. This work, titled From the Backcountry to Sky High Peaks, was painted on the slopes of Sun Peaks in British Columbia.

"We were thrilled to have an artist of Evan's caliber donate his work to CAN Fund," said Jane Roos, founder of CAN Fund. "As a painter and a skier himself, Evan embodies our mission of talent supporting talent, and represents a new generation of artists establishing Canada's place on the global stage."

CAN Fund has raised more than $30 million to support athletes representing Canada in global competitions. This winter, CAN Fund was responsible for supporting 80 percent of the athletes competing for Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the late Gord Downie are among the luminaries who have collaborated with Jane Roos to support CAN Fund. With every donation to CAN Fund, donors are informed of the individual athlete they have supported, demonstrating the impact of each donation on providing opportunity for Canada's athletes.

"I wanted to give people, who might not ever be able to be up in the mountains, the feeling of the freedom that you feel when you are skiing above the trees," said Sharma. "It's such a privilege to get to share my experience with the world while also supporting Canada's best athletes."

Sharma will also be donating a pair of sneakers from his line of apparel, RBLB (Right Brain/Left Brain). The sneakers and painting are both available for auction online here, and can be viewed at the First Canadian Place Gallery Main Level, 100 King St West, February 9th through 23rd. You can watch Evan paint From the Backcountry to Sky High Peaks here.

About Evan Sharma
Evan is a 14-year-old self-taught fauvist artist from Kingston Ontario, Canada. He gained national prominence when at the age of 12 he became the youngest artist to present their work at Toronto's Artist Project. His artistic journey has been chronicled in a number of documentaries, including those created by CBC Arts and CTV. To date, Evan's artwork has raised over $20,000 for charities. www.evansharma.com

You can access images of Evan painting at 7000 feet here.

About the CAN Fund
CAN Fund is a not for profit organization created to fill a funding gap and give our Canadian athletes (summer, winter, able-bodied and Paralympic) the financial support they need to train and compete for Canada. Where CAN Fund makes a significant impact is in the years leading up to the Games, the years when no one is watching, or cheering, or even aware of our athletes and their journey to be the best in the world. The majority of our athletes are paying for equipment, travel to competitions and training camps, coaching, proper nutrition, extra physiotherapy and team fees that range from $1,000 to $27,000.  www.MyCANFund.ca

SOURCE CAN Fund

Related Links

http://www.MyCANFund.ca