Archive for the ‘Philanthropy’ Category
TONIGHT! Baby come back home…
Dear dear friend of Element, photographer and artist Amber B Dianda created one of her incredible stop motion videos for the song “Baby Come Back Home,” by Japanther!
The inspiration behind the song and animation was done in homage to Beau Velasco, a very special, compassionate, full of love and creative man, as well as beloved friend to Amber and Japanther. Beau struggled with anxiety and depression, and three years ago, sadly, lost that fight. In honor of him, several of the over 2000 stop motion frames Amber B created for the music video will be sold to benefit a depression and anxiety charity.
If you live in the Los Angeles area, TONIGHT (April 25th) the “Come Back Home” music video will launch with Japantherat The Smell!
Regardless of whether or not you can make it tonight, you can still support the cause by purchasing the frames HERE!!
See the full video HERE
Read more about the event HERE
Can My Art Help Heal? by Brooke Reidt
WOW it has been nearly a decade as an eden advocate, life really moves at light speed sometimes.
Posting here is a good way to stop and reflect. Being an eden advocate has really allowed me so many opportunities to grow and share my art with people globally I’m so blessed and feel so grateful, it’s difficult to move forward without meditating on that for a minute.
Let’s face it I love painting, drawing and creating and feel so blessed that I am able to wake up and mostly do just that everyday! I want to share the process of creating with you! When asked to guest blog I got really excited and decided I wanted to spread out sharing the process of creating from start to finish (amongst other things.) I intend to start and finish one painting while I guest blog!
The first step in my process of creating is the initial inspiration. I’m inspired by so many things, people, places I visit, stories I hear, music, experiences, pretty much everything that impacts my life. Some inspirations really pervade me day after day until I create something or paint it out. Right now this inspiration is invested in a friend who has dedicated his life to heal, only to really need some healing himself. His story has been haunting me. My friend Durek Verrett who is a Shaman needs another operation stemming from many in the last few years. Durek really needs a kidney transplant to continue his battle to live. There’s a lot of details, some are very positive and others I can’t wrap my head or heart around but the fact is, he’s been fighting just to live for almost as long as I’ve been an advocate!
I’m going to paint this painting for Durek. Next week I’ll open an auction and see if this painting can make any small contribution towards helping heal this beautiful being.
Meanwhile he has an online campaign closing this week. Sooooooo so close to meeting his goal!
Have you ever met someone who you felt was so stunningly beautiful inside and out? Who just being in their presence feels healing and so spiritually refreshing? This is Durek. Being in his presence surrounds you with love and light that words cannot define.
I could go on and on about Durek, his story and what a beautiful spirit he is but here’s a link to a video and extensive details of his condition, please share this!
Please read his full story and help him move down this path of healing.
http://www.indiegogo.com/Operation-Get-Shaman-Durek-A-Kidney
“Remember you are beautiful in creation as creation is beautiful in you and being that you are one and the same may all your beauty be shared” – Shaman Durek
Kyleigh…
A friend of the Element Eden family, we always look forward to our next encounter with Kyleigh, eager of the topics that will arise and the beautiful inspiration that will come of our time with her.
Lovely photos shot by Craig Arend… check out the entire series HERE
Find out more on Kyleigh Kuhn’s story and non-profit at Twenty Four Suns
Let the new years resolutions begin!
I don’t think I have ever been more stoked to welcome in the new years! It may or may not have something to do with coming up with a better new years resolution than the ones I have had in the past…like to shut the garage door every day, or put the milk back in the fridge… I have realized that those are ridiculously impossible resolutions to keep and I have landed on one that I KNOW can happen.
Here at the Paint Box Cafe we were able to reach our goal this Christmas of raising enough money to build a well in another country. Not only do we get to have the honor of being able to provide water for people in need but we actually get the privilege to build it. We were stoked to say the least. I couldn’t believe it was that easy. After being involved with this Christmas tradition after so many years I couldn’t believe that I had not thought of the idea earlier to continue giving to Living Water International year round! The season of giving should be every season! not just around Christmas.
After lots of brainstorming and I am excited to announce my new years resolution… Don’t worry, I am not asking you to help me to remember to close the garage door… BUT, I will need your help, pretty please! For the year 2012, it is my goal to raise enough money to build a well in another country; a goal I am dubbing “In Living Waters”. A portion of proceeds from the sale of my art will go towards the rebuilding of a water source in a third world country and therefore the gift of new life! Here are some of the first pieces created with this goal in mind!
Stay tuned to find out more on what’s to come and how you too can give!
We love boobies…
Breast cancer awareness has increased beautifully in recent years, and behind it all one of our favorite organizations, the Keep A Breast Foundation. Keep A Breast does an amazing job of educating young people through art exhibits, events and programs… most particularly in action sports! Their insanely amazing tag line can be found on wrists across the world, with boobies loved by the masses!
By utilizing the strength of art in communicating difficult feelings and thoughts on health, Shaney and co-founder Mona used their expertise in fashion design, photography and event planning to come up with the idea of using the female form to spread knowledge about breast cancer. They launched a series of art shows to exhibit one-of-a-kind plaster forms of the female torso, each individually customized by artists, then sold to raise funds for breast cancer programs across the globe!
It was an honor to personally meet Shaney and hear the story in her own words while she created a cast of my chest, amongst other creative and inspiring women at the Create and Cultivate event with (No Subject) LA.
Keep doing what you do ladies and know that it’s changing the world!
Big thanks to (NO SUBJECT) LA for bring us together!
DIY do gooders… Round one!
In response to the Advent Conspiracy here in the good ol Lake of the Ozarks, we took action by hosting a DIY craft night here at the Paint Box Cafe. We wanted to provide an opportunity for friends and family to gather together, create not only fun crafts together but memories as well. we offered 6 DIY crafts and all of them only cost 1 to 6 dollars each! We were hoping that by providing this night that people would make their gifts this year, rather than spending money and then donate the money to help someone in need. Despite some hot glue burns and needle pokes the night was a huge success! Thanks to one my favorite crafty ladies Janet Baker, she has provided some easy DIY crafts that you too can share with your friends and family.
Bleached scarf
supplies:
clorox bleach pens
long strips of fabric of your choice
beads are also fun to put on the ends if you choose to do tassels
1. Take your fabric of your choice and cut it into the size and shape of your desired scarf, we found that pieces of cotton were easy to work with.
2. Take your bleach pen and doodle your little heart out on your fabric.
3. rinse in the sink after the bleach has dried and let air dry
4. now is the time to add some little embellishments if desired. I slit the ends of mine a few inches up, tied knots and added some wooden beads I had left over from an old necklace.
This scarf is such a great gift! It’s fun to make and so cheap and who doesn’t enjoy a stylish scarf!
Just another reason to give back!
Love For Japan
How amazing is this calendar by Ask Alice Stationery, proceeds from the sales of the calendar goes to Japan’s Red Cross to help those trying to rebuild their lives after the devastating March earthquake. 12 awesome artists have donated artwork to make this happen, as well as a generous donation of paper and printing services by K.W. Doggett and Bambra Press.
Buy it here and spread the love.
Artwork credits - Cover by – Sass Cocker of Ask Alice.
Check out more calendar images and lots of beautiful paper things on my favorite blog - Upon a Fold.
The First 70
Last May California announced plans to close one quarter of their 278 parks, a devastating move that is intended to save the state a mere $22 million per year. The closure list includes thousands of acres of park land, recreation areas, wildlife reserves, and 50% of the State’s historical parks. By July 2012 Californians will be bereft of 70 magnificent natural parks.
The First 70 is a short film about Californians banding together to enact change and develop solutions in the face of a glaring bureaucratic oversight. Money raised via Kickstarter will help Lauren Valentino, Jarratt Moody and Corey Brown finish the documentary about the National Parks to help bring awareness.
Visit heathhenfilms.com to find out more and donate. Every little bit counts and we only have 25 days left to pledge.
Greenhouse Gallery!
I recently had the amazing opportunity to take part in the Greenhouse Gallery/Art fundraiser for Everything the Roof, put on by About Face Collective and Freshcity Farms! It was super rad. I went late in the afternoon and the light streaming into the greenhouse was perfect..they had bands playing in the background and the art looked great! Super good vibe in general.
All proceeds went to Everything the Roof, a community rooftop garden and learning space on top of the new Centre for Social Innovation, in Toronto, Canada. The creative structural elements of the garden were designed and built by local artists using recycled and reclaimed materials!!
In collaboration with the Centre for Social Innovation, Sketch Working Arts for Street Involved and Homeless Youth and Skate4Cancer, The About Face Collective created a unique, inspiring, visually exciting platform to promote urban farming, nutrition, green lifestyles and integrated community engagement!