Outreach Peru

Pastel Abstract

I got a really exciting request yesterday. My buddy Errin asked if I would donate a painting to a silent auction to raise money and send a medical team to help children in Peru. I love that I can help out even though i can't send a bunch of money. It will also be interesting to see how much one of my paintings will raise.

I'm going to try and paint a Peruvian landscape so there is a connection for the buyer between the artwork/donation and the cause country. But Errin and I will figure out which painting is best. The gala auction isn't until April.

This Pastel Abstract isn't that landscape, just a just finished painting. I like the way it turned out. It's a mixed media work.

I started with coloured sidewalk chalk making pastel shapes. Then i applied water using a paint brush and pushed and pulled the shapes. I think it turned out pretty good, but whether you like is probably highly dependent on if you like the colour scheme. It would probably be best in a room decorated by a little old lady.

Silent Auction

I talked with my buddy Darren down at Divine in Okotoks again about when i could put my paintings up for a silent auction to raise money for breast cancer. He said i could have some hallway space, but a whole restaurant show would have to be a year or so away. Some other artists are queued up. That might work out best because we could have just a few pieces up at a time for auction, and when a month is over put some other works up in their place. Most of the artists' work stays up for 6 months, and i don't think that would be an appropriate duration for a silent auction. It would be nice to have the whole place, but given my limited number of works maybe this is the best way to go until i have lots of stuff ready to fill the restaurant.

Amanda

I quite like the way this one turned out. I've had a funny array of comments on facebook regarding it.

To create this one, i started with a photograph of my friend Amanda and manipulated it in photoshop. I used the "cutout" button with 4 levels and it looked pretty abstract; just like a bunch of shapes. I printed that and referred to it generally as i painted these shapes.

I may have given this one away. If not, i think i will use it in my silent auction at Divine in Okotoks to raise money to fight breast cancer.

Silent Auction

My esposa was urging me to tell our friend about my plan to have a silent auction to raise money for breast cancer. We were all watching the hockey game lastnight and it did not seem like the appropriate time. I don't want to be painted with any saintly light, when especially i'm so far from accomplishing my goal. On the other hand, it might be nice for our friend to know we all want to do what we can to support her and ensure a win. It might also be nice to take her to Divine in Okotoks and surprise her with what i'm doing. I don't know when or if i should tell.

Our friend saw the surgeon yesterday but i didn't converse with her about it as much as the esposa did. Apparently she's considering a double mastectomy even though one breast is clear and has an independent likelihood of developing cancer from the other one. This consideration is probably a reflection of how stressful and how out she wants this thing. Indeed she and her partner said their lives seemed to be flashing before their eyes, referring to so many decisions they were facing.

I wish hours of hard labour was all it took beat this thing. Then i have no question we'd win. At any rate i'm sure everyone will do what they can. I've decided to set aside non-negotiable hours to devote to painting.