Wednesday, April 24, 2013

CREATIVE CREATURE ENCOUNTER.........


is a go at Potter Park Zoo in Lansing, Michigan!  It is official - I got the grant I applied for back in January.   Thanks to the Arts Council of Greater Lansing for believing in me and my project.  There were 2 categories of grants; emerging artist and established artist.  I actually fall into a category of re-emerging artist but that wasn't a choice so after looking over my resume, publications and awards the director decided I would fit in the established artist category.
The day the letter came telling me of my award my grandson became ill and was rushed to the hospital.  It is with a heavy and broken heart that I tell of his passing.  I read the letter in his hospital room and one hour later he took his last breath!  I will continue on, for and because of Ethan, but this is going to be very hard as I have lost the love of my life!  Ethan would have loved to be at the zoo with me and all the kids around us.  His room was full of animals - stuffed and painted.


As I said before my project will be an Artist in Residence at the Potter Park Zoo.  I will be demonstrating acrylic painting techniques to the public during "Tourist in your own town" day on June 1st.  Then again on July 19th and August 17th.  I hope to encourage young and old (and those in between) to pick up a brush and apply paint to a canvas.  I will be providing paint, brushes and small canvases with help from the grant.  Just picking up a brush and applying paint to a canvas is a big step for some.  I will enjoy sharing the awesome feeling I get everytime I pick up my brushes to paint. It can be relaxing and/or therapeutic,  it can be an escape or an embrace.  You can tell stories with your art or just paint something because it is pretty or interesting.  I hope to help many take the first step to picking up a brush and putting paint on a canvas.  I hope it will be the beginning of many journeys for me and them!


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