The show ended on March 2, 2008 and after our final tally, we surpassed our goal of $2000. We will be able to purchase a "farmyard of animals" through World Vision. Thanks to all those who participated and supported the exhibit.
I always say that I don’t believe in coincidence, things happen for a reason. That is not to say that I always identify every event in my life as life-changing or “God-sent”, but many are, and it is exciting when something wonderfully special happens because you followed your intuition and stepped out in faith.
Last year I received a gift catalog in the mail from World Vision, a Christian organization that serves the needs of children and families throughout the world. I flipped through the pages of gifts that could be purchased to assist those needs and came to a page with the picture of a young girl and her cow. I immediately thought of a painting I had done for "Our Creatures Comforts", my two-artist show with Suzanne Clements, in September. The painting was entitled,”My Mother’s Sister Was a Cow”. This cow, named Snowball, was my mother’s only “sister” and an important part of her family growing up during the depression in Appalachia. I was really moved by the similarity of the two images and knew I should not ignore what my heart was saying. I decided to try to sell the painting with the intention of buying a live cow from the catalog; a cow that could change the lives of a family. Florida Today wrote a wonderful article, the painting sold the same day and I bought the cow from World Vision that week.
I had many of my artists friends say that they would do something similar. So…after thinking about it I decided that this may be one of those events that I should follow through on.
GIVE THEM THE FARM an invitational art show featuring the artwork of 40 artists will open on February 1, 2008 at The Fifth Avenue Art Gallery in Melbourne, Florida. A large portion of the sales proceeds will go to purchase farm animals through World Vision. The artists and the gallery are generously donating toward this effort. The artwork is wonderful! I have already seen images of many of the pieces. I hope you can come to the opening on Friday, February 1, 2008 or see the show throughout the month of February. If you cannot see it in person, it will be available online beginning February 1st on my website. You will go to artwork, then collections, then Give Them the Farm to see and purchase the artwork. The more we sell, the more animals we can buy. Our goal is to buy the "Farmyard of Animals" for $2000. I hope you will be a part of this very special show!
Renee
Happy New Year!
