Tag: pay it forward

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Happy birthday, Create Art 4 Good

Nine years ago, I jumped into the most glorious journey. I decided to begin the business of my dreams. It was important to me that I was able to bring all of me to the table. Artist, entrepreneur, community advocate, humanitarian and well.. you get the idea. I feel we are so fragmented in life; I wanted to share all the positive things I try to be. I wanted to create an environment that would not only help me to be successful, but also artists that I would choose to represent. 

And it happened. 

In the last six years I have written, re-written and adjusted my business plan eight times. Some were minor, some a little more. 

I have represented over three hundred artists (as well as myself!)

I have donated a portion of each and every sale to over seventeen different charities. 

I have facilitated children’s events, adult events, surprise parties, not so surprise parties, fund raisers, pop up art events, paint and pour events, openings, meetings, workshops, classes, charity events, and artist talks. 

I have had the distinct honor of hosting Louise Slaughter. 

I have been honored with several awards, newspaper and magazine articles. I am humbled by the support for this business in our community. 

I have grown, transitioned, and adjusted. I have learned several things that don’t work so well and so many things that work really well! 

I have been so incredibly blessed. 

Today- we celebrate, tomorrow, we get back to work. Thank you for being here with me. Thank you for supporting this work in progress, for showing up for workshops, for creating blessing bags, for having your mother’s surprise party here. Thank you for dropping in just to see how I am doing, for supporting the art and the artists. Thank YOU for the blessing you are to me. 

Today the gallery will be open from 11 am until 6 pm . If you come to visit, I will give YOU a birthday gift of 10% off your purchase. (my artists will get their entire commission, I promise) Also buy one get one free photo prints. Sound good? GREAT- come see me.  I look forward to our visit. 

Now help yourself to a cupcake! 

with love and big huge gratitude. 

Susan

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Opening tonight! Postcards from the Heart

The gallery awaits the final touches- so I will be brief. 

I make my way in the world by following my heart. If you read my post from a week ago, you know that this exhibit is no exception. Why I began Create Art 4 Good in the first place is I wanted to do what I love and try to make a difference. I cannot tell you the joy I have when my hands (arms, clothes) are messy because I was painting, mono printing or the like. I cannot tell you the joy I have when new designs I have created come from the printer and I tuck in an envelope to package them for your patronage. ART to me is breathing, it is life, it is even amazing when things to flow or work well. ART IS MY OXYGEN!

I am well aware however, that art has power. Art can be generous, art can be opportunity. 

The artists that have supported this project each have their own relationship with art. I will not presume to understand their response to the creative act. However, I DO, appreciate with my full heart how generous they are. As artists we are constantly asked to give a piece of art to support this or that. At times, to be honest, it gets old. I have personally felt under valued, like my work isn’t real because I am not a CFO of a major corporation. Yet here I stand before you (okay, I am sitting) asking artists, and lovely humans alike to create a piece of art to help support families in need. 

and they responded beautifully. 

Tonight is about paying it forward. It is about sharing love, it is about seeing the need and answering. 

“When I was hungry, you gave me to eat.”

I hope that you will find it in  your heart to come tonight. The air conditioning will be on. The water will have lemons in it, and my wall will be covered in love. Beautiful frame-able art created by an amazing girl scout troop, incredible art students, professional artists and all good souls. Honor them, honor the Irondequoit Community Cupboard and let’s do good work. 

Blessings & big huge love, 

Susan

 

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Post cards, love and dreams

Last year when I was planning the 2017 exhibit schedule, I easily filled in most of the dates rather quickly. July remained unclaimed. But, I know people travel and don’t always want to commit to putting up a huge exhibit during a vacation month. Without panic or concern I decided to take a step back and think about it for a while. I had several ideas, but none of them were “singing” to me. I knew I had to be patient and let the thoughts perk for a bit. 

THEN

One morning I wrote down the date of the opening. 7.7.17

HOLY WOW! (yes, I do say things like that sometimes.) It was not only singing; it felt as if the entire church choir sang to me! 

I believe that in life we pick up tools, we use them when the situation presents itself, and well until them, we might actually store them in the resource box somewhere. I feel like everything I do these days is guided and gifted.

One of the charities, I hold dear, is the Irondequoit Community Cupboard. The ICC is one of my chosen charities. While it seems popular to give to places such as these at the holidays, there is profound need 365 days a year. At this time of year, the shelves can get a little bare. The children are home, and not at school. They are not receiving the opportunity to have breakfast and lunch at school. This doesn’t even begin to address that when children are not occupied for most of the day they claim they are “bored”. I don’t know about your children, but mine would eat us out of house and home when they were bored. 

and then it hit… Children are hungry SEVEN days a week. 7.7.17

So… I started talking about it. I picked up some of those tools I have acquired and I got down right bold! I spoke with Debbie Evans who tirelessly runs the ICC. She was in favor so that gave me permission to proceed.

 I began asking for artwork. I posted, and re-posted. I asked friends near and far to contribute. Each response was positive. The idea was catching on. 

Cut to a year or so later. The mail began to come. I received post card art from friends as far away as Pennsylvania, and as close as just a whisper down the road. Art came from those closest to me, and friends I have never met. One envelope I opened had post cards from a local GirlScout Troop. I admit, that one made me cry. Artists near and far all stepped up to the plate! It was fantastic! 

I actually extended the deadline- people wanted to contribute but life always seems to get in the way. Patience paid off! It was amazing! 

Now, we proceed to July 7th. Kids ARE hungry 7 days a week. The opening is at 6pm. Now the success belongs to those who enter the gallery and spend at least $10 to support the work of Debbie Evans and all those at the ICC. 

PLEASE come- PLEASE bring cash- please help us help others. 

I will see you soon- 

full with post cards, love and dreams, 

Susan