Fundraiser for artist Rita Valley this Friday at Artspace

Artspace
50 Orange St, New Haven, (203) 772-2709
Rita Valley fundraiser
Fri., Sept. 23, 6—10 p.m.

Press release

Artist Rita Valley, a woman of tremendous talent (her Artspace artist page) and a person who is a real joy to be around, had a serious accident recently (see below). There will be a fundraiser to help defray some of her expenses this Friday at Artspace in New Haven. If you can't attend, please consider sending her a donation at: Rita Valley, 965 Jeremy Swamp Road, Southbury, CT 06488.

From Rita:

On June 11th of this year, I had a truly freak accident at home, in which a section of wire fence snapped back and punctured my left eye. I endured two surgeries to stabilize my eye and replace my left lens, but I require a corneal transplant in order to see clearly again. At present, I have approximately 15% vision in my left eye. For anyone, the idea of eye accidents or vision impairment is traumatic; for me as a visual artist, it is devastating. What has buoyed me along, (in addition to the emotional support of my partner Bob, my dog Jules and my wonderful friends and family!) has been the understanding that I will be able to get that corneal transplant and be able to move beyond these particularly awful and challenging few months.

At present, I am unable to do many things we all typically take for granted. To name a few, I have poor depth perception, cannot drive at night and I am having trouble reading. Ironically, my job is photographing antiques—not easy with one eye. Perhaps most trying of all is how difficult it has been to continue my studio practice. I cannot emphasize deeply enough how important this transplant is to me.

I know that I am more fortunate than some, in that my job provides health insurance. However, I am enrolled in an HSA (Health Savings Account) and have a high deductible. As luck would have it, I sustained my injury in June and my policy runs September to September. This means that I have to come up with my deductible again this fall. (And I will add that the insurance company changed my policy and raised the deductible). Therefore, it was suggested by several friends and family members that a fundraiser be organized to help defray my very necessary and rapidly mounting medical expenses.

Will you please help me out with a donation? Attend my party if you can, and enjoy performances by Forrest Harlow, The Chupacabras and Armando Erba. The event is at Artspace (which has generously donated the space for the evening… my everlasting thanks to Helen Kauder). It should be a great night and will surely cheer me along on my way to recovery! If you are unable to attend and would like to help out with a donation, please send to Rita Valley, 965 Jeremy Swamp Road, Southbury, CT 06488.

Event schedule:

Friday, September 23, 6—10 p.m.

7 p.m. • Forrest Harlow & his Band. CD: "Kennedy & Kings"

8:30 p.m. • Performance Art by ARMANDO Erba "A Priori Stories of the Third Sex, or Move On Over, Simone de Beauvoir."

9:15 PM • Jon Morse Band — The Chupacabras, with Weylin Jones, Carlos Carrion, & John Voog Wood.

JodiAnn Strmiska • Mistress of Ceremonies