Art Is You 2013

The Art Is You team, Sallianne and Ellen, are gearing up for next year's retreats.  The dates and places are set and information is starting to come online at the website.  If you have attended a retreat of this type then you know how fun and inspirational it is and if you haven't then it's time you found out.

This year when you go visit the website and choose which event you'd like to attend there is an intention button.   This gives  you the option to say you want to attend so when the classes come online you have first dibs!  I like that.  So go hit the intention button and I hope to see you in Petaluma where I'll be teaching and vending.

Click here to go to the website!

Studio Progress

I have spent the last few days working on my studio addition.  Thursday I primed and painted the walls,  yesterday I primed the cement floor, and today I will put the first coat of paint on the floor.

We had a winter storm come in which means lots of rain for us in the Santa Cruz Mountains.  It also means it will take the paint longer to dry so I will probably have to wait until tomorrow to add the second coat on the floor.

Michael will be putting the trim around window, door frame and along the wall/floor.  Next he will hook up the electrical in that room and remove the garage door.  After that I can move in.  Yahoo!

Of course moving and rearranging all my stuff will not be an easy task but one I will delight in tackling!  The construction clean up not so much. :-)  Sometime in the future the addition will get stucco and paint to match the existing part.

Donating for Hurricane Sandy Relief

I may be going out on a limb here but these are my thoughts on donating for the hurricane relief funds.  Over the many years that disasters have occurred the forefront organization to collect funds has been the Red Cross.  Millions upon millions of dollars have been donated but I have heard first hand from victims of two disasters (Loma Prieta Earthquake & Katrina) that the Red Cross was no where to be seen and not helpful on getting funds to those in need.  Here is one of the many articles about the mismanagement of this organization.  I'm not saying that the people involved don't help at all and I do believe many of the workers have their heart in the right place but the organization is so huge and widespread that the management begins to break down and the funds don't necessarily go where to the area that the donators think it is going.  So consider this before donating.  My two cents.

So where to donate?  I just read an article this morning about how Doctors Without Borders has set up station in New York to get medications and treatment to people who have been without heat. lights, and have no access to help.  Perhaps donating would help them.

Or  "Join Art is ......You, Adorn Me, An Artful Journey, The Artful Gathering and Vivi Magoo Presents as we raise much needed funds for essential personal and household items for those affected by Hurricane Sandy. Donations go directly to Family-to-Family.  Go here to the Art Is You site for more information and links to donating and for an art raffle.

One more website for information and donating is New York mixed media artist Seth Apter's.  He has organized artists to donate items as an auction where the donations will go to the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City.

I hope you can donate whatever you can to help and have a good feeling that the people in need are being helped.