Resolutions Worth Repeating

I've been seeing a lot of articles popping up here and there about reviving or keeping New Year's Resolutions alive. Last December, I came across this video and put a link of it into my blog. I found a way to actually embed the video and decided to post again.

I feel that as adults we are always role models to young people no matter who or where we encounter them. They watch how we interact with other adults and how we handle our feelings. At the New Year there are resolutions to stop smoking, to say a kinder word, a vow to leave. The message in this video speaks to the habits we have as adults and how a resolution isn't just for the new year, but rather something we should work on everyday because there are always little eyes and ears watching us.

Some of the content in the video is somewhat disturbing, but it's a powerful message that bears repeating.

Pet Abuse: Henry and Rhonda's Story

In speaking with perfect strangers about the portrait project, it's really amazing what kind of connections are made. I was on the phone with a young lady in Utah while ordering checks for my new organization account at the credit union. She grew curious about the project and I shared the details only to find out that she used to be on the police force for 15 years in Salt Lake City. As an officer she had many stories about domestic violence calls. One of the cases we discussed was about a, Henry, special dog who has become the poster pet for change in Utah legislation.

This poor puppy was hurt severely by the abuser, Marc. He became jealous of the dog and unfortunately, used Henry has a pawn in the torment. After damaging the dog's eye with a leafblower (a vet had to remove it) and later placing the dog in a 200 degree oven for five minutes, Rhonda Kamper divorced her husband and filed a restraining order. Since then, she has been fighting with legislation to pass stronger animal cruelty laws in Utah. Inside the many articles written about this case are facts about the correlation of animal cruelty and domestic violence and murder. The number of animal abuse is astounding.

For this reason, I will include animals in the portrait series. It's an angle rarely discussed by the public. Adding pets to the Bravery project may help people consider animal abuse as precursor to human abuse. Perhaps when one reads an article about someone hurting or neglecting an animal, one may connect the dots because they are definitely there. According to Utah State University Professor, Frank Ascione, 71% of women in a Utah shelter have had a pet threatened or hurt by the abuser. That is in ONLY Utah. Imagine that number across the country.

With some networking and a little timing, this kind ex police officer I spoke with on the phone is forwarding information on the Bravery project to Rhonda. Hopefully, I will have the honor to do Henry's portrait and people who see it will realize another very serious symptom of domestic violence and take action.

I've included some links to more information on Henry and Rhonda's story. They include other similar cases. It truly is an outrage.

Support for Animal Cruelty Law Still Strong
Special Henry Session Sought
Animal Abuse Case Details: Dog beaten with leafblower, placed in oven

If any of you who read this post have an animal you would like to include, by all means, please let me know and I would be happy to add your pet to the project.

Bravery Project attempts to go nonprofit

With the help of some very generous professionals, I am working towards turning the portrait project into a nonprofit status organization as Bravery Project, Inc. (BP) There are many reasons for this. The project has blossomed, which is really great, but framing and art supplies can be very expensive, not to mention the printing papers, ink cartridges, and online services, etc. Fortunately for me, I've managed to keep costs to a minimum, but I am forced to seek outside monetary assistance through grant and donation requests. As a non-profit, anyone who chooses to donate to the project can receive tax receipts to write off on their taxes. Additionally, I plan to collect donations for the shelters in October (remember that 100% of October online/mailed donations go to the shelter groups). In order to maximize the success of the activities, non-profit status will provide the right structure to do this correctly, if the IRS grants permission. Who knows, the Bravery project could be quite successful and continue for a long time, but only with people working together to make the magic happen.

A bit of that magic is coming to fruition. If you check the calendar on my website, you will see that several events have been added. These are wonderful opportunities to share BP with other people. Some events will have a full gallery style display of whatever completed artwork is available along with a table filled with flyers, cards, etc to promote the project. February is especially exciting because of the new shelter opening out in the Peoria area. This will be the first and only safe-house for residents of that area. A much needed service.

I am also honored to be invited to the upcoming Vagina Monologue performances. What a fun way to spend the evening. If any of you can make it out to see the plays, please do so. Each performance is different, thought provoking, and very funny. You may never think of yourself the same way again.

If anyone would like to have BP at an event, please let me know. As always, I am still looking for volunteers for free portraits, so if you know of anyone who may be interested, please pass along the word.

Change begins with conversations at the dinner table.

A Workshop to Remember

I hope everyone is enjoying the first week of 2008 as much as I am. Thanks to the awesome people at Scottsdale Artists' School for giving me a scholarship, I just completed a wonderful three day workshop with William Whitaker, master figure painter extraordinaire. He was thrilled by the Bravery project which made me feel like a million bucks. Here was this amazing painter with 5 decades of experience, telling me he thought my project is wonderful. Not only did Mr. Whitaker field my gazillion questions, but he did it with good natured humor and an honesty that comes from being an experienced teacher who genuinely wants to help students. I have to admit that I do envy those chosen to be his apprentices. (He lives in Utah.) Nonetheless I am honored to have learned from a living master with his integrity and skill. My portraits will increasingly improve from what I learned. ( My hair, on the other hand, maybe not.)

One thing I did take away from my experience was that I am a much better pastelist than oil painter; thus, I am going to continue the portraits as drawings or pastels at this point. Oil's will come later. The main thing is to put out the best possible work, especially since Bravery is already going to be on display in February.

I am very excited to partner the Bravery project with the Phoenix Women's Forum and vdayphoenix.org. For one night, on February 23rd, the completed portraits will be on gallery style display at the Vagina Monologues event in Glendale. For those of you who can make it out to the beautiful Glendale Renaissance Hotel and Spa, this evening promises to be an amazing experience with celebrity performers. I will have a table with information about the Bravery project so people who are interested can learn how to participate. Tickets have been selling already for the past two weeks, so make sure to order yours soon.

I hope to see you there.