Nourishing a Hope: Painting with a Purpose

I wasn't planning to participate in Wishcasting Wednesday today because I have this little chicklet of an project that emerged yesterday in my consciousness and I have been consumed with creating the perfect nest for her to thrive and grow. But when I read today's prompt, I knewn she needs to be introduced to you all now.

What do I wish to nourish?

I wish to nourish this dream:

I am calling this project: Painting with a Purpose: A Summer of Creative Connection. Through this project, I want to nourish Hope for children who may have little to hope or believe in. I wish to nourish connection through painting: connection with my daughter but more importantly, connection with the children who live in Welfare Centers (orphanages) in China. I wish to nourish the message of Half the Sky Foundation's Art in Our HeARTS art a-thon and raise money through my art to sponsor a child in the "Somebody Loves Me" program.

This is a project near and dear to my heart. For the first 23 months of Cowgirl's life she lived in a Social Welfare Center in southern China. I know she received good care there because she came to us not only very healthy, but able to express affection, curiosity and most importantly, trust. She attached to us quickly. Parenting an adopted child, the issue of attachment and bonding is the number one concern. The ability to form intimate, loving and engaged relationships is created through our having been attached to our parents or a primary caregiver in the first years of our lives. Sadly, many centers lack the resources and staff to provide the intensive individual care necessary for healthy attachment.

All the children who are held and loved will know how to love others ... Spread these virtues in the world. Nothing more is needed. (Meng Zi, c. 300 B.C.)

The mission of Half the Sky Foundation is to provide individual care and stimulation for children living in welfare centers. Their stated goal is "to ensure every one of China's orphans has a caring adult in her life." I have supported this stellar organization ever since Cowgirl came into my life. When they announced their summer Art a-Thon project, I knew we had to participate.

Here's the plan: Starting now and until the end of July, Cowgirl and I will be collaborating on small scale paintings (5 x 7 and 8 x 10 inches I am thinking) on canvas board. Each week we will create at least one new painting with a theme selected by Cowgirl (oh, this could get interesting!) Beginning in July and running for 4 weeks we will be offering a give away of the paintings. On Fridays I will be posting an update of our progress and a chance to win one of our collaborative pieces. To enter you must make a donation to Half the Sky (more info on this below) and leave a comment each of the 4 Fridays (be sure to let me know you donated!) We will select a name at random on each of the following Monday mornings.

Things will get rolling on Friday, July 2 with the final week being Friday, July 23. Depending upon the response, I may add a bonus week on Friday July 30, so stay tuned! I image we will have more than enough art to share, so who knows what bonus offerings may bubble up in July?

You only have to donate once, but in order to qualify each week for the drawing, you must leave a comment and include in your comment that you made a donation.

To visit my pledge page and make a donation now simply click here. Or use this badge over on my sidebar:

I want to nourish the belief in myself and my daughter that what we do does matter; that we each can make a difference in our own, unique way. I want to nourish the conviction that Art can save lives and that art is a vehicle for hope, understanding and connection.

As I wish, so may it be!

(Please help me spread the word! Any suggestions, support, tweets, or shout outs as things get rolling will be greatly appreciated (and humbly accepted.) And if you are unable to comment, please feel free to email me: Lishofmann(at)novia(dot)net)