I am a resident of Binghamton, New York where Marla was born and raised. I have seen the film, I have seen the paintings (I do NOT own any). I attended and was a very active audience participant in the after film Q & A by director, Amir Bar-Lev and many of the cast including Anthony Brunelli and Binghamton Press writer, Elizabeth Cohen, Friday evening, October 5th, at Anthony Brunelli's art gallery in downtown Binghamton.

Please, see the film. Whether you like Marla's (or her Dad's) paintings does not matter. The film is about so much more than that. I do not personally know the Olmsteads, but from the evidence that I have witnessed and the information I have received from speaking with those associated with the story, Laura and Mark are wonderful, loving and caring parents.

All that said, I have come to a personal conclusion that Mark assisted Marla with her art. To what degree and if he actually, himself, touched brush to canvass, I do not know, but am willing to accept the Olmstead's word of HONOR because I believe these to BE honorable people. The only mistake, in my opinon, Mark made, was to deny ANY DEGREE of assistance when asked direct questions by many people. I believe he found himself in a hole that kept getting bigger and the events surrounding Marla three years ago kept spiralling out of control. What started out as a fluke sale of a painting for $250 to a local coffee shop snowballed into a couple dozen sales of up to $30,000 each and a WAITING LIST of 70+ confirmed additional purchases. In Anthony Brunelli's opinion, at the rate the market was evolving, Marla's "original" individual works would soon reach levels of $100,000 or more. Take a moment and think about those numbers and remember where you live.

Binghamton, New York and those communities who are regionally located in what is know as the TWIN TIERS of the Southern Tier of NY and the Northern Tier of Pennsylvania, are an economic armpit for industry. Famouse names like IBM and ENDICOTT JOHNSON, which were both FOUNDED here have either closed down or moved out of town. Many other businesses whose names you probably would not recognize have also closed shop over the last two decades. Mark Olmstead works the night shift at the local FRITO-LAY Potato Chip packaging plant. Here, out of a clear blue sky drops an opportunity to give freedom from strife and a guarantee of comfort for his wife, his children and his children's children. Do any one of you honestly, sincerely believe you would not be "ethically challenged" to some degree with these stakes on the line? I believe myself to be a very honest person, but I have also had my share of loss and grief. Through the 1980s and 1990s I was forced to endure FIVE corporate takeovers or mergers among three separate industries. Two of these proved to be positives for me, three did not, and all created chaos for my family. For the last seven years I have worked for myself. Some years are better than others. I am not and will never presume that I will ever be wealthy, but I do feel myself a success because I survive. Mark Olmstead had a real chance for something much more than merely surviving.

In my opinion, Mark's mistake was "over reaching". If at the beginning when asked if he "helped" in Marla's work, Mark should have proudly declared that he would make an occasional verbal suggestion or demonstrate a brush technique. Maybe the value of the work would not have reached stratospheric heights, but I believe it would still sell because much of it is very, very good. The Olmsteads seem very good people and parents, and Marla a very talented artist, and I sincerely wish them all the best good luck they can find. Thank you.