The Laughing Redhead Post

another quick sketch

Here is another which will be a part of this Friday's Five; this one is pen on Filofax paper as well. Planning to do this one large but not huge (minimum 30x40), acrylic on canvas, with vinyl as feathers on the wings. I'm going to try handsewing these on this round, as I'm not quite satisfied with the look of my glued-on ones, and will paint before and after the sewing. Will post that one when done  - I may also try doing these on loose canvas, and stretching after, which I haven't done with the vinyl incorporated before. Angels, Angels, Angels.
 

Calendar sketches

I draw on everything I can - and I save my large Filofax pages and use them as sketch paper. Very portable, and a smooth tooth so I love working on them quickly in pen. 

I'm busy with Halloween, my favorite holiday, and drawing a ton to post FIVE pieces each Friday on my Facebook art auction to help me get to Mozambique in 2010, to make art with girls orphaned by AIDS. Here's one of the pieces.

Art is in the blood, it's a driving force, and a joy. peace, friends

Goal: Making Art with the Kids in Mozambique

Hi, Y'all,

I'm working on fundraising, as you know, for the Africa trip in June. What I'll be doing is making art with girls, ages 8-14, who have been orphaned by AIDS. I'll also work with a small community of adult artists who have started another home for orphaned kids. I am obviously blatantly asking for donations to support my trip, (as well as performing comedy in living rooms and selling my artwork, and I may do street mime as well, soon), but there's something else I need to accomplish - 

I need to get art supplies for these kids. I have contacted two huge suppliers, more than once, and they are maybe offended by my begging tone, don't like being nice to little kids, or hate my Southern accent, or somethin', because no one is calling me back. I'm not good at this, this is really stepping outside my comfort zone (getting hep shots and malaria pills isn't.)

I'm going to contact another as well as a big company I used to work at which happens to own a crayon company (guess who?), to see if anyone can donate supplies for the kids, as well as shipping to Quelimane - which is a big issue, as I need my suitcase space for my hot rollers ;-). Seriously, getting the stuff there is a signicant thing, as our last leg of the trip is on a small plane.

Soooo, if you have ideas, leads, peeps, numbers, art suppliers . . . or can ask someone yourself to help me with this piece of the big picture, I would so appreciate it!!

I am figuring out the specifics of what I project we will need, and am glad to provide that info, as well as trip details to any company or person interested in getting art supplies to the kids!

To donate directly to support my trip, go to http://www.CanadaHelps.org (the link is in the lefthand column here), then search "Native Earth Performing Arts" , and then select "Shakespeare Link Canada (in Trust) to donate. You can designate the funds for my trip by entering my name in another field.

I will keep you updated! I have raised $1500 of the $6000 needed. We leave June 7 from Toronto.

**********UPDATE!*********** I raised about $2500 prior to the departure, so was not able to make the trip in 2009; I am still working on the same goal to reach Mozambique in summer 2010. Please send me a note or comment here if you are interested in supporting me in this venture. peace, trl

Words to Live By

I've done a lot of angels, I have strong instincts spiritually, and am very instinctual. Which is kinda redundant, but then not, and I'm hoping you won't hold that against me.  I put a few favorite Bible verses in the wings of this angel. I call the piece I'm posting today "God Rewrote the Text". From "The Message", the poetic translation of the Bible by Eugene Petersen. The verse is my favorite for these last several years. Psalm 18:24 - "God rewrote the text of my life, when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes." 

New Year, New Art

I'm always drawing or writing, it seems, and that's all good. I have a few New Year's resolutions, and one which is high, is to figure out how to take up a friend on an open invitation I have for several years to go to Mozambique and do art with girls in a village which has a very high incidence of AIDS. I haven't figured out yet how to meet my regular financial obligations and to do this. But I am strongly impressed that 2009 is the year I figure this out. My friends are in Canada, and are working with this Mozambican village through dance and Shakespeare. We went to the World AIDS Conference in 2006 and saw the dancers from Mozambique perform as part of the program. Amazing. What a blessing. What an inspiration. What I don't seem to know how to do is to fundraise, or get grants to do this. This year, I figure this out. Please pray for me in this, and let me know if you are a grant writer or have experience with this. I have some learning to do. I will update you on my progress, on the organization and their future plans as they unfold. These are wonderful genuine peeps I've been buds with for years, and I can think of no better way to spend my time, but to help them in their efforts in whatever way I can. Maybe this won't unfold the way I have it in my head, but I strongly believe there is something there, and somehow I can accept this gracious invitation/honor, and be a part of this. I have it on my heart that AIDS is the new leprosy, have known this for years, and have done what I can when I could to donate to the cause. I believe that we are to watch out for all our brothers and sisters who are affected in any way by this disease. Go to www.ShakespeareLinkCanada.ca for more info. Peace, trl