Artist contributed to city’s art community

Christakos was a noted Sudbury artist and arts educator, a tireless contributor to the dynamic regional arts community, a supporter of the Laurentian University Museum and Art Centre (later the Art Gallery of Sudbury), a long-serving community arts volunteer, a dedicated two-term Board member of the Ontario Arts Council, and a recipient of an Award of Distinction in 2003 for her contributions to the Greater Sudbury Civic Arts and Cultural Advisory Panel.

She co-founded the Sudbury Crafts Foundation (later SCARF), pursued fine arts studio education and assisted in establishing the Cambrian Artists and Communications Association. She then opened The Artisan on Larch Street, Sudbury, which offered expert advice and art supplies to many local artists for 35 years. One of her favourite activities was teaching painting to seniors at St. Andrew’s Place.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites memorial donations to the Sudbury Community Foundation, specifying “The Mary Jane Christakos Fund”, a new arts endowment fund that will grow to provide community grants for art education, or to another charity of choice.