Remembering Denise Marika – Friend, Artist, Mentor and Supporter

Community Supported Film and I lost a a great friend, adviser, teacher, mentor and guiding artist and filmmaker when Denise Marika died of cancer in July 2018.

February 28th was Denise’s birthday. Despite the sadness of not being able to toast (and roast) her in person this week – I am buoyed by her well-directed and supportive spirit and can hear the peels of laughter that would have filled the space in which we celebrated her.  She would have enjoyed the company and ignored her birthday!

Denise was my graduate program director at MassArt. She guided my explorations in experimental media-making … and defended me from expulsion. The best part of that program was having her friendship afterwards. She shared – and was generous to ask for input on – her work and process and continued to provide extensive guidance and support to me and the development of Community Supported Film. Denise came to New Immigrant and Refugee Visions training sessions to mentor the trainees during the production and editing of their final films.

Denise and the Marika Foundation for Social Action (MFSA), which she founded, were and continue to be major financial supporters. I am forever grateful for all the support and love that Denise shared with me.

Michael Sheridan, Director, Community Supported Film

Please see the Facebook posting below from the Marika Foundation for Social Action (MFSA) and have a look at the other programs that the MFSA is supporting.

Here are a few examples of her inspiring legacy of artwork:

Howard Yezerski Gallery – Denise Marika

When Video and Painting Converse, The Boston Globe

Kingston Gallery Denise Marika and Luanne Witkowski

Pomona Museum, Denise Marika Body Projections

Worcester Art Museum, Denise Marika – Unearthed 

Beer and Burgers with Denise Marika, Berkshire Fine Arts

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum – Denise Marika, Art Forum review