I wish you the happiest of holidays

 Well Christmas is almost here and it feels as though the time has flown by. I've been spending my time creating last-minute gifts and stocking up on the Christmas cookie dough for the freezer. Next week I will have a marathon of baking and decorating for all the Christmas tins. As usual, I think I want to make too many different recipes and I end up with more than I need. It is fun though.

This time of year I'm always reminded about how much more we do have in this part of the world and how lucky we are. My only real complaint about Christmas is that it proves that we consume way too much and produce way too much garbage. We are very lucky to have such problems.

This time last year I wrote about a couple charities that I donated to and I'm happy to tell you that I was able to make a second Kiva loan and help support another entrepreneur. I hope to keep rolling my loan paybacks into new loans to help more people. For this year I've decided to donate to Charity:Water and support projects that give the most basic necessity of life. I live in an area that has some of the cleanest and most readily available water in the world. Again, I know that I am lucky and I want to help make clean water a reality for others.

Next week I'm going to take a little break and spend it quietly with my family. I hope that you enjoy the rest of the  Christmas season  and I will be back before the year ends. Happy Holidays!

Ganbare Nippon Charity Shop

A little while back I had put a call out on my blog asking for people to let me know of any opportunities for me to donate some of my artwork to worthy charities. Thanks to a someone on Twitter who saw this, I was directed to Erica Sharp. Erica is an illustrator in the UK who is amassing an amazing collection of artwork that she is selling in a shop on Etsy called Ganbare Nippon . Ganbare Nippon is a shop dedicated solely for fundraising for relief and aid in the earthquake struck regions of Japan.

I have donated my "Into the Brush" monotype which is a one-of-a-kind print on Rives BFK paper. My "At home" linocut is from a small edition which was hand-rubbed with a wooden spoon. The final donation, "Simple Wants" is a small editioned colloraph that has been hand-painted with watercolor. Take a look at the shop and blog to see my donations and the numerous other fantastic pieces you can buy. There's no guilt in buying a piece here for your home because your purchase will help those in Japan trying to rebuild their lives. A fantastic deal I think.

I have an addiction and I need your help

I have an addiction. I have a constant need to create and I become lost and sullen when I feel like my habit might be threatened. I'm my happiest when I'm in my studio discovering some new technique or idea. I become consumed and the need to create grows more. Unfortunately this constant thirst to create makes it so that I have produced work faster than I can sell it. My print drawers are overflowing and my art supplies are taking up more and more floor space. I have told myself that I mustn't try any new artistic techniques in case I get hooked and insist on getting more supplies and tools. I've already broken my promise with encaustic painting and polymer clay.

Although I've given plenty of my work away for free, I'm thinking that I would like to donate a substantial amount more. I need to find good homes for my work and I need the space to create more. This is where I was wondering if you could help me in my quest. I'm looking to give away some of my larger pieces, particularly my monotypes, to reputable and worthy charities for fundraising or simply display. Do you know of any organiztation who puts a call out for an artists talent? Do you have a favorite charity yourself? Is your local hospital needing something visually stimulating on their walls?

I'm willing to give some of my work away as long as the donation fits a few specific criteria. I don't mind submitting to a jury process but I can't afford an application fee. I would be, however, willing to take on the responsibility of financing shipping and insurance of a piece. Although I love to do theme specific artwork I am looking to donate solely from my current stock. As a final wish, I would prefer my pieces to be displayed in a public space for some period of time. I want my work to be enjoyed and as relevant to someone else as it is to me.

What do you think of my idea? Have you got a few ideas of your own? I would love to hear them.

Breast Cancer Fundraising Pendant

Breast Cancer Fundraising Pendant

 A friend of mine will be doing the "Walk for the Cure" to end breast cancer in August this year and to participate she has to raise $4000. To help her achieve such a lofty goal I said that I would create an original pink-ribbon pendant that I would sell on my Etsy site. With the sale of each pendant I will donate $5 to the Cancer Society in my friend's name. If you are part of a walking team or just wanting to show your support for participants, the necklace is a lovely symbol of hope. 

If you've been touched by cancer in some way I hope that you will feel compelled to give to the cause.