Mary Krohnert won our hearts as Larissa, one half of a lesbian couple balancing their sex life with lesbian motherhood in the hit TV series Sex After Kids. But as a sideline to her acting career, Krohnert is also the coordinator for The LivingRoom Community Art Studio in Oshawa, Ontario, and she is calling on creative lesbians with an artistic flair to use their talents to make a difference to her community.

“I’m reaching out to creators of all kinds to ask them if they will make some small art for our studio’s ‘Secret’ Art Sale & Fundraiser,” says Krohnert.

The LivingRoom Community Art Studio is a registered non-profit based out of Oshawa that provides people from all walks of life, including the LGBT community and those who are most marginalized, with opportunities to express themselves and connect with others through the experiences of making art-making, sharing skills, and sharing dialogue.

“Up to this point we’ve had a lot of success working with various communities on a free Pop-Up Studio basis, but our goal is to open a storefront studio space in central Oshawa that can be used by the individuals and families we serve on a more regular basis,” says Krohnert. The money raised from the “Little Art, Big Difference” Secret Art Sale and Fundraiser will go towards helping rent a space for a studio local artists can call home.

In early June they will be selling small works of art (5″x7″ or 6″x8″) created by interesting and inspiring people, including lesbians and queer women, at a fundraiser that will be held in downtown Oshawa. If you are a contributing artist your art will be sold at the event as well as online through the Living Room Community Art Studio website.

“We will let people know who has contributed work, but not which work they have created—thus the ‘secret’ part of the sale. All art will be sold for the same reasonable price ($75) so that people can afford to buy one or maybe even two pieces that they love.

We’re inviting creators of all kinds to contribute work (artists, actors, photographers, writers, designers, filmmakers, musicians, etc.) in order to attract as wide an audience as possible to the sale.

We’re encouraging our art makers to express themselves in any style or medium they like—we only ask that you give us permission to use your name and share your website in the promotion of the event, and that you sign the back of your art so that our event guests don’t know who has created which piece until after they’ve purchased it.”

Art can be mailed to me in Oshawa, or arranged for pick-up. The deadline for the submission of artwork is Friday May 30th.

If you are interested in taking part in the event—or know someone else who might be interested—email Krohnert at [email protected].

“I hope you can be a part of making this space a reality for our community!”