Today there is a greater awareness of the need to recycle, preserve our natural resources, to live more thoughtfully and deliberately. There is a growing, burgeoning awareness for Earth, our collective home. Even more important are those, the individual human beings who live fragile, fearful, fragmented lives in extreme poverty, war, genocide, human trafficking and natural disasters.
One cannot RECYCLE human beings.
A portion of my painting time I devote to keeping in mind these Forgotten Children. This last year I focused upon children who live in Rwanda, Congo, Indonesia, Afghanistan and Tibet. Each painting depicts children of dignity and grace.
One cannot RECYCLE human beings.
But the painting substrate could be composed of recycled materials. I set about the task of using no new substrate/panel/canvas. The paintings would solely be formed from discarded, salvaged items. It was fantastic coming up with all sorts of materials: old chopsticks, bent wire, discarded cardboard, newspapers from countries I have visited or friends sent to me, torn cheesecloth, advertisements, junk mail, used metal, corrugated cardboard, sacred prayer papers, doilies and earth pigments.
Looking at my pile of USED items, I knew I had a huge puzzle on my hands. So slowly I started piecing bits and pieces together. I formed the “new” canvases, by gluing, stapling, wiring and wrapping.
Now the fun began, as I decided what type of child/children to paint of these surfaces. It was a challenge worth taking.
Some of the Forgotten Children series were part of an exhibition, Living Green. I rather stretched the meaning.
These pieces are sold to support a charity I find great joy in. Many have read Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen. I am now reading his new book, Stones into Schools. His story is so inspiring that I made it a goal to send donations through the sale of art appropriate for his cause. www.penniesforpeace.org www.ikat.org The message I receive from his life is that ONE person can make a difference. We can all be that ONE person.
