Small acts big consequences

I got notification today of a comment made on one of my blogs (written in 2010) about everyONEcounts see below:

I didn’t save this particular life, as the reader comments above, but just contributed in a small way by making an artwork & getting involved in the first everyONEcounts campaign.  My involvement in the first everyONEcounts campaign came about through my friendship with Lara Mellon who initiated the call to artists to raise awareness of abandoned babies. However, it was only when I saw an image of a baby abandoned in a dustbin at one of our local shopping malls that I reacted with my “heart”. Click here to read about this story:

Our new campaign “Speak ART against Human Trafficking”, was motivated by a teenager’s disappearance from her home in Durban in 2012. In the period between her going missing & her being returned to her family, we had made contact with two groups who work against human trafficking. They function as crisis and trauma centres (The Open Door) and raise awareness of human trafficking by giving talks at schools and businesses. (Red Light) The presentations by Red Light aim to inform the audience of the dangers of Human Trafficking, how to identify Human Trafficking and the measures that can be taken to protect oneself from becoming a victim.

As an Art teacher and artist I haven’t got the time or the skills to work at either of these organizations, but I can make a difference to my society in a meaningful way by making a small piece of art, as Fiona Couldridge did below with her "Jane" which is a portrait in acrylic paint and embroidery thread on Towel.  

Please get involved in our new campaign by donating or buying an A4 artwork – the exhibition will be held at KZNSA gallery in the last week of August 2013. Get more information from our website: www.everyonecounts.co.za

Finally the E1C exhibition is happening

The everyONEcounts exhibition opens tomorrow at the Quays on Timeball, Point Waterfront, Durban at 6.30 for 7pm. 

We set up the exhibition this weekend and put up 639 artworks. This could potentially translate into R639000 to support babies abandoned in South Africa if we manage to sell all artworks. A lot of the art has already been sold on our official web site.  Some absolutely beautiful pieces are suprisingly still available. (Perhaps don't read well on a computer screen?) 

Make your way down to the Quays tomorrow to buy an artwork and support a life.

Below are piles of paintings freshly unwrapped from their boxes:

Placing the paintings for hanging:

Lara and Fred preparing paintings for hanging:

Decisions, decisions, decisions! (Margie & I sorting out colours/themes)

Fred and Fred (the talented hanging team)

The red/pink group

 Look at these amazing curving walls:

  Blue and yellow:

My (personal) best wall - the turquoise & purple 

Upstairs - Look at these awesome raw concrete walls 

My Grade 10 art students' oil paintings  were given a spot - to advertise e1c@school

    Sorting out labels

Womens Day Exhibition

We went to the DAG gallery opening of the Womens Day Exhibition on Friday Night. To our delight we found that they had exhibited Maggie & my artworks together. These two pieces will go everyONEcounts to raise fund for Shepherds' Keep. Maggie & I are standing next to our artworks below.     

Lara also exhibited two of her newer artworks - see below. Lara and Maggie are standing next to Lara's two paintings. To see more of her work click here. 

On the way into the gallery we were followed by a troop of little dancers from Umlazi school.  Below is the photograph of them running up the stairs into the gallery. 

I took some more pics after they had finished dancing. They got so excited they started pushing each other to get into the photographs - so unfortunately I had to stop "clicking". 

Upgrade of everyONEcounts web site

Check out the new & improved everyONEcounts web site. It still needs some "tweaking" in places but it is up and running & most importantly we can edit it ourselves!

I have posted some lesson ideas related to the everyONEcounts theme on the web site I have also included a free Grade 10 "Inspiration for oil painting PowerPoint slide show" Both documents can be downloaded from the web site for free. Click here to go to the web site & then go to the projects page for the free lessons. To all teachers out there ..may the force be with you for the new term... 

My three sparrow paintings

I went and had a look at all of my three paintings again & am amazed how different they are to one another. The first one sold to a friend (here in Durban), the second is going to America & I think the third might have sold today (Lara still has to confirm)