As one of Canada's leading forensic accountants, Irving Rosen enjoyed a reputation as a meticulous, rigorous accounting detective – a master of leftbrain activity. As head of a prominent accounting firm and President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario, he had little time to pursue his artistic interests, as is the case for so many professionals in a world where the demands of business are relentless.

When he retired in 2000, Irving was determined to immerse himself in art, music, theatre and literature and he has done just that. Since then he has taken over 30 courses at the Arts School and enjoyed them all.

With no background in art – not even a class in high school – Irving now produces paintings that he can be proud of. He likes to paint people "with clothes and without clothes." He enjoys interpreting the character of his subjects and is currently enrolled in two classes – Life Drawing and Advanced Drawing – both with instructor Sadko Hadzihasanovic.

Irving appreciates that he has talents that are different from the ones he needed to be a great accountant. "My generation went to work right out of school and defined themselves only by the work they did. Often they can't picture themselves without their work. There is so much more to who we are than work."

Irving loves to draw and paint. He thinks nothing of attending two classes in one day and, after five or six hours of painting, never feels tired. "It's the opposite – I feel stimulated and excited and I'm doing something I never knew I could do!" He is now using his right brain and is enjoying every minute of it.

Sometimes wishes can come true – they just need some imagination and support from the community.

The Avenue Road Arts School is committed to providing high-quality arts programming in a warm and congenial environment to children and adults alike. Unfortunately many families cannot attend the school for financial reasons. Luckily, children who could not otherwise afford the fees, have the opportunity to study with our inspiring faculty, through the charitable work of Arts for Children of Toronto. Last year, 200 children attended the Arts School with scholarships from AFC, while other children attended dance and music schools on similar scholarships. But scholarship money is hard for our charitable sister to raise. Enter eBay!

Avenue Road Arts School will develop its own auction page on eBay to help AFC raise money for its Scholarship Program. We are calling out to our school community to participate in this on-going auction.

Buyers and donors will have the opportunity to help raise money for the Scholarship Program. If you have a service or a product that you would like to donate to our online auction, please contact us by phone (416-961-1502) or email us at contactus@avenueroadartsschool.com. Keep an eye on our Web site for more information.

What a treat to be able to buy something at a bargain – and at the same time give a gift to a deserving child whose life could be changed by the experience.

When Michina Pope thought about her 50th birthday celebration, she knew she wanted to do something that could make a difference to the community. As her three sons, Harry, Nicolas and Alexander, had all attended the Avenue Road Arts School, she was well aware of both the benefits of attending an arts program and the incredible programs run by Arts for Children of Toronto, the charitable arm of the school. After discussions with Lola Rasminsky, she zeroed in on one particular project. Every week Arts for Children sends an artist to the Metro Toronto School for the Deaf to teach deaf and hearing children art. The program was in jeopardy because of lack of funding. Thanks to the generosity of Michina and her friends, her birthday celebration raised almost $5,000. All of the generous donors can be proud that through their efforts, they have allowed this remarkable work to continue and have made a lasting impact on the community.

If you would like to celebrate a significant occasion in this way, contact Lola Rasminsky at 416 961-1502, ext. 601 to discuss a project that you and your friends might like to support. Other AFC projects in need of funding are programs with the Hospital for Sick Children, the North York General Hospital Eating Disorder Clinic, Gilda's Place, and Parents for Better Beginnings. Supporting any one of these projects will brighten the lives of the children.