Artist's Art Help Causes

Many of us know that artists are some of the most generous of people.  Most artists that I know do not have the funds to support all the causes that are meaningful to them, but we often donate our artwork itself to be used as currency to invest - whether our work is in auctions raising money, or we are donating the sales of our work, we are generally a pretty giving group!  I'm proud to be associated with such generosity, and when I can support artists in their efforts, I do.

Umbria by Tessa Edwards

Recently I met Tessa Edwards of An Aerial Armadillo (by way of my dear friend Renee) who is supporting a cause in a most gereous way, through her artwork. You can read about the project on her post The world was silent when they died - The Orphans of Nkandla because she is much better at describing the need of help for these beautiful children than I. What I'll share is the artwork that I received by helping to further her cause! I'll also provide a link here, to the man who inspired Tessa, Dr Maithri Goonetilleke and his blog The Soaring Implulse.  The titles of the prints are linked to take you to Tessa's collection of artworks included, in which 100% of her proceeds go to support the good works of:

 "Dr. Joyce Mareverwa, Medical Director of The Baylor Clinic in Swaziland, who works unflinchingly hard to save the lives of HIV/AIDS orphans in that little mountain kingdom in Africa."

CuCu and Toto by Tessa Edwards

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Meanwhile, I'm working on my own donation of artwork - which by comparison is a drop in the bucket, and should give you some comic relief in the midst of the sorrowful issues these works are going towards.

A friend recently forwarded a request for artists to help in a function to raise money for the  Laura Hartenbaum Breast Cancer Foundation. Laura loved butterflies, so the organization's thought was to have a number of artists all create a unique work by embellishing a polyurethane butterfly, which they provided. The butterfly is about 12 inches high, and 13.5 wide, and can be used indoors or outdoors. I thought - no problem, I can do that and have some fun with it. Then the box arrived.

        

I thought - "what the heck did I get myself into?" To me this has got to be the ugliest representation of a butterfly ever created! Next, I burst out laughing.  I knew/know I'm in for a challenge here, but dang it, I'm up for it!  First thing that has GOT to go is that heavy swoop that is dragging that poor flightless thing down. 

       

I began by building a leaf and flower around the base, with cereal boxes, readying it for paper maché - the process that can hide all sins.  As always, click on images for better view!

       

Once the structure is completely constructed and paper machéd, this guy needs some antennae and a proboscis to enjoy the nectar of it's bloom :)  Patterns, color and some inspiring collaged messages along the way, and there's hope that new life can be brought to this hunk of probably toxic plastic...  (At least it isn't polyvinyl chloride aka PVC - please artists, for your sake and the environment's, don't use PVC, now popular in jewelry making, to create imitation ivory and bone looks.  I won't get started - that's a whole other story...)