Gina Godfrey: The Portrait Of An Artist Giving The Gift Of Life

Life is multifaceted, and for many of us, our passions propel our choices. For Gina Godfrey, her life has been influenced by her desire to help others and create art.

- Rick Muller

Passion for art can be distilled down to an appreciation of imagery. We like what we like for individual reasons. After all, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

It is this appreciation for imagery that set philanthropist, artist and gallery owner Gina Godfrey on an artistic path from an early age. At the age of only 11 months, and despite being unable to pronounce the word, she requested a pencil from her mother.

“I’ve always felt I’ve had what I call ‘eidetic imagery,’” says Godfrey in a sit-down interview with Dolce. “I can recall things that I see and that I hear. My mind is wired to see things people don’t see, and my process is to never stop learning. Anything I’ve actually learned in life, I’ve managed to keep and build on, and I think that’s why my art evolves, as well.”

That evolution has made Godfrey one of Toronto’s most respected artists, collectors and curators. Owner of the Gina Godfrey Gallery, Godfrey has, for the fourth consecutive year, been invited to create a sculpture for the Brain Project, an outdoor art exhibit that raises awareness and funds for brain health in support of Baycrest Health Sciences.

“The Brain Project is a good way for me to marry my art with philanthropy,” says Godfrey. “The project was actually started by my son Noah and his wife Erica, who were inspired by the Fabergé Egg Project in New York, and they came up with the idea of the Brain Sculpture in Toronto to create awareness and much-needed funds for brain health in support of Baycrest, a global leader in brain research.”