My Kitty in the Garden!

She's done, she's done... with ten days to spare! I worked on the base today for my Scout in the Garden sculpture for the Art Unleashed fundraiser for the Humane Society. All sculptures are due on May 1 (the same day as a very wonderful arts / crafts / music show that always proves very successful for me!), so I knew I better get my ducks in a row and get out my One Shot enamel paints. Fortunately they take so little time to dry and the colors are amazingly vibrant too!

So here is Scout standing next to her base and among the flowers and cool season garden veggies growing in the pots on our deck.

And here she is on her base, looking very festive, bright, and cheerful... a happy kitty indeed!

Music for a Cause

Tomorrow is a big night... something I've been planning for a couple months now. I will be doing a music gig, Music for the Community #4, as a fundraiser to benefit the residents at the local nursing home where I sing a couple times a month and to benefit a local animal rescue organization run solely by volunteers. These are two areas that touch my heart deeply, and I wanted to do something special for them, to help make their lives a little better, their work a little easier.

I'll do a solo set covering some songs by my favorite songwriters as well as some originals. The second set will be with the band, The Ramshackles, and we'll do more originals and more favorite songs. Which songwriters, you might ask? Tom Waits, Bruce Springsteen, Townes Van Zandt, Kris Kristofferson, Emmylou, Lucinda Williams, Steve Goodman... and more, including a song by my brother who is a pretty good songwriter himself!

For over two weeks, I've struggled with some mysterious and weird physical issues, as many of you know, and I truly think I've willed myself to get better enough to do the show, because, as the saying goes, "the show must go on!" I did not want to cancel or reschedule; I simply wanted to follow through with my plans and to get some money in the hands of these two groups so that they can use it to continue to do the oh-so-important work that they do in easing the lives of and tending to the needs of those dear old folks and in rescuing, caring for, and treating, and finding homes for neglected and stray animals. So this afternoon will be a long practice with the band since those have been rare of late. I'm feeling pretty good right now and hopefully my energy level will stay up because the motivation is truly there! Wish us luck, a good crowd, and a full donation basket!

MY DESIGN WAS CHOSEN!

Yippee!! Time to celebrate! I posted back in September about the Art Unleashed fundraiser to benefit the Forsyth Humane Society. Click here to see that original post and find out about the fundraiser. I'd entered two designs this time around, and I just learned that one of them was chosen! They picked Scout in the Garden, and I am so excited! The design was based on my cat, who likes to lie around in the garden when I am working the dirt and weeding and planting, and on the flowers I grow and the scenery around my home. For the last fundraiser in 2008, I'd painted a dog sculpture, so this time it will be fun to do a cat... they are not quite as big either!

Here's the design I submitted and what I will follow once I pick up my form.



Forms and bases should be ready for pick-up in early January, so once the holidays are over, I'll be busy with this project. Stay tuned... I'll post images and descriptions as Scout in the Garden develops.

Art for the Animals

I have spent a good portion of the week on designs for the upcoming Art Unleased 2010 fundraiser for the Forsyth County Humane Society. This event connects artists with the organization and the local community as a way to raise money to support the Humane Society, its programs, and the care of the animals who reside there while they wait for a new home. My daughter volunteers there once a week; she visits with the cats and she walks the dogs. She keeps me posted on all the sweeties and when they find homes. Though I live in a neighboring county now, I used to live there, 45 minutes away, and of course I have always supported this organization and others who work so hard as advocates to neglected or homeless animals.

I first got involved with Art Unleashed during their 2007/2008 event when my design was selected. There were approximately 60 designs chosen out of about 280, I believe. Each artist received a cat or dog fiberglass form to paint, decorate, or enhance in whatever way their design called for. It was amazing to see the beautiful work that came from the project and how each artist had such a different vision. Each artist and his/her dog and cat had a sponsor and the forms decorated various locations within the city during the summer months, many sitting outside the front door, some sitting inside. After being a part of our home and sitting at the table (where I painted him) for three months, my dog, "Dogwood", graced the floor at Windsor Jewelers, an upclass jewelry store. You do get somewhat attached to your critter, and it was hard to let Dogwood go, but he had a mission to accomplish! At the end of the summer, an auction was held for supporters and community members to bid on the animals... both a silent and live auction. What a fantastic night that was... about $58,000 raised... and so much fun!



This year will be a little different. Only 10 dog forms and 10 cat forms will be created, but artists are encouraged to submit designs for original art, such as a painting, collage, 3-D work, and whatever else they can think of. I'm sure there will be some fabulous work made! I will be submitting a dog form design and a cat form design. The deadline is coming soon, and notification will be towards the end of the year. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that one of my designs will be chosen, but I know that Forsyth County and surrounding areas house amazing artists, so competition will be stiff. And whoever gets chosen... well, it's of course the animals who benefit!

Dogwood now belongs to a wonderful husband and wife eye-doctor team. To create the base, I thought about my own dogs and how they are so faithful and loving, such wonderful companions in all seasons of life. So they inspired the words I wrote and painted around the base of the sculpture: "I will fetch the sticks you throw into blue-dream skies. I'll carry your cares, sing them to the moon, lay among dogwood petals, waiting patiently at your feet."









And here's a photo of Dogwood at the kick-off parade...