I have felt the most profound honor to be contacted by Bob Swenson, (former NFL player for the Denver Broncos), to help with an extraordinary project that he and his wife, Libby Swenson, have started titled the "Freedom 58 Project".  They are asking artists to create paintings of freed slaves which will become part of an exhibit to raise awareness of the huge problem of slavery and human trafficking worldwide.

My painting of, " Prema's Leap of Faith" is the first one to be painted in the series they are going to call Dignity Portraits. This woman is a former sexually trafficked young woman on her way to healing. There is also going to be a series of head shot portraits that have not been "blanked out" that reveal the true image of the person being portrayed.

Please visit their website, which launches this week, for more information, http://freedom58project.com/

This is my painting journey of capturing the likeness of this beautiful spirit using the photograph that they furnished to me to paint from to portray this young woman's joyous leap of freedom into her future. In all of the photos for the Dignity Portraits the person's face has been blurred to protect their privacy.

I made the choice to place the butterfly mask on Prema's face and made up her nose and mouth from my imagination.

She is from India and the culture celebrates color and symbolism in their art and in their everyday lives. The butterfly is an international symbol of freedom which I felt would help convey what she is feeling and so I used that shape for the mask. The color of marigolds, orange is featured in almost every celebration and blue is the color that represents Lord Krishna, one of the most favored gods in India. I chose green for the main color of the mask as it symbollizes nature, new beginnings and God himself. The ribbons are metallic gold, a precious metal much revered in India, to symbolize her wealth and strength in spirit.

It's been a long time since I felt like I've done something with more meaning than a pretty landscape....and it feels really good!  We CAN help make a difference in the world through our art.

If you are an artist and would like to donate your skills and gift this amazing organization with a painting of a freed slave, which he will furnish, for the "Freedom 58 Project" please contact Bob Swenson by email... fsland@gmail.com


Click on the image if you would like to see a larger photo.

There is also a Pulitzer Prize winning book titled, "Half The Sky", by Nicholas D, Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn that has been praised worldwide regarding human rights violations and should be read by all of us in the "human community" on this earth of ours.
http://www.halftheskymovement.org/pages/book

My painting "Clouds of Fire #4" , 24"x30", is now being shown at the Art Students League of Denver till the 20th of January.  The artists' reception is the evening of the 17th so stop in if you are in the neighborhood!!!  I painted this in response to the Hayman fire that consumed a huge part of Colorado and affected my life deeply.  It was selected for a national show in Denver years ago and I'm quite proud of it if I do say so :)  

A new show, "Once Upon a Time in the West", opened yesterday at the Framed Image Gallery in Denver.  I'm honored to have 4 paintings exhibited.  The images are attached below.  If you happen to be in the neighborhood, Happy Canyon Shopping Center,  5066 East Hampden Ave, Denver Colorado... please stop in and witness first hand the beautiful art by some amazing Colorado artists. The show will be up till March 7th and then, like the famous Cadbury Egg will be gone!  

Tomorrow I go into the abyss of commercialism.  I will be at the Atlanta Trade Show helping promote the 47 paintings that West of The Wind Designs reproduces and sells internationally.  It is a wonderful company that pays my way to have me come and "glad hand" their customers so that they can meet me personally.  I'm honored, as they carry over 600 images in their outdoor art line, and I'm the only artist they have come and meet their clientel.  Standing on concrete 12 hours a day for a week is really very little to pay as this company has believed in me and my art for 5 years now!  How lucky can a girl be ;-)   Wish me well and I hope their sales increase 10 fold as a result of my presence ...as it makes my income better every day!
Ciao art lovers...I'll be in touch!

Paintings in the Framed Image show, Denver.  Open till March 7th 2014
click on the image for more information!

Thought it was time to share one of my latest projects...now that the holidays are over and secrecy is no longer needed!  

I was given a particularly challenging commission to paint.  My client wanted his home captured in a series of 3 paintings, which in the art world is referred to as a tryptich.  His home is literally perched on a mountain top near the beautiful town of Breckenridge. 

I spent several days hiking about trying to get photos that I could use as reference and my skills in perspective were given a workout as it was virtually impossible to get any photos that contained the entire front view of the home. 

He also requested each panel depict a different season and had sentimental requests that certain things be included...such as the tipi and Subaru in the first panel, (There is a logo on the back window that needed to be included, too!  Whew).  The reflections of the western mountains are visible in the massive windows.   

I think I captured what the client requested...as he had a smile on his face when the paintings were delivered...he was gifting each one of his 3 children with one of the paintings so that each would have a piece of the home they grew up in.  The 3 paintings will only be reunited on special occassions!  What fun and I was honored to be chosen to capture this for them.

WISHING YOU ALL A PROSPEROUS HAPPY AND HEALTHY YEAR TO COME...ONE FILLED WITH ART AND JOY!
If you are interested in a commission of your home and or loved one please don't hesitate to contact me...anything is possible :)