Painting with Purpose

I mentioned previously that, should I ever win the lottery, I would purchase one of every item in an art supply store. I would also own a library, comparable to the one the Beast gives Belle, and finally realize my dream of being a philanthropist. (Dream BIG, right?) Unfortunately, this would require me to actually play the lottery. So, the best I have to offer right now are words of encouragement, clothing donations, a couple of hours here and there of my time volunteering, and donations I can make with my art.

The most rewarding pieces I create are those that give back to causes I believe in, such as the painted chair pictured with this post. This piece was created a few years ago for a charity auction fundraiser to help raise money to buy beds for children. I had so much fun coming up with the concept for the design and then painting this piece. The title, “Where Are You Going my Little One” is a line from the song “Turn Around” my grandmother used to sing to me. She learned the song from a Kodak commercial — fair warning, have tissues handy, especially if you’ve ever played a role in raising a child yourself. While I viewed this as an inspirational song as a child (you’ll be a grown-up before you know it!), the lyrics definitely resonate differently when you are on the parent end of them. The shoes and the footprints painted on the chair are those of my daughter, who is, indeed, growing up fast.