(Reprinted from Okey’s Promise: Art for a Cause, originally posted on 8/29/11.)
Despite a slightly abbreviated crowd due to Hurricane Irene, a brand new Okey’s Promise project was launched at BlogPaws in Tyson’s Corner, VA this past Saturday!
Along with youthful blogger/dancer Miah Thornton, I presented about Okey’s Promise at BlogPaws to a courageous and enthusiastic group at the BlogPaws pet bloggers conference. Special thanks go to the Found Animals Foundation for sponsoring the presentation.
Miah very beautifully enacted Okey’s story and the mission of the entire project, and her moving performance was enjoyed by all. During the presentation, I kicked off the new project on Kickstarter, which you can read about here.
After running into difficulties with finding a permanent location for the last mural, I have decided that the new project will be a traveling exhibit. I plan to create many images of survivors – animal and human – that tell the story of resilience and hope, while also bringing home the reality of pet abuse and domestic violence. There will be several pieces that will go together as a whole, and will have numerous options for indoor and outdoor exhibition.
Please contact me if you would like to consider exhibiting the completed piece in your area.
Before the new work can be exhibited, however, it must be funded. I only have a month to raise the funds. Backers for the project will become a part of a special group called “Okey’s Promise Keepers” as well as receive special awards at specific funding levels. I hope you will consider becoming an “Okey’s Promise Keeper”, and encourage others to do the same. No pledge is too small!
There is plenty of information about the Okey’s Promise mission on [the Okey's Promise: Art for a Cause] website and on the Kickstarter page. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to learn more. The Kickstarter page allows you to embed the video and a widget that links to the page. I would be thrilled if you chose to share about the project on your blog or website!
I said that we presented to a courageous and enthusiastic group at the BlogPaws, because Hurricane Irene did come through our area, and we had some wind and rain. More than anything, fears of closed airports compelled some to leave early to return to their families. Those of us who remained had a bit of frivolity making fun of news reporters by making crazy hurricane videos. Truthfully though, our area was spared any serious weather. We were all thankful for that!
Although I had great fun at BlogPaws meeting new and old friends, I was very happy to return home to Okey and the rest of the crew.
Okey was happy to see me, and I was happy to see her.
By the way, the music in both Okey’s Promise videos is by my good friend Jason Farnham who has graciously given me permission to use it. Please visit his website and his Facebook page if you like it!
Life is an Adventure!
BZTAT
Check out my Referral Incentive Program! Send your friends here and you could get an ACEO by BZTAT!
Custom Pet Portraits / Contemporary Artwork of Cats, Dogs and other Animals
BZTAT Studios - In the heart of the Canton, OH Arts District
Custom Pet Portrait of Mamselle Chloe by BZTAT
Are you one of those people who came up and talked to me at BlogPaws West about painting your pet? Were you thinking about it but didn’t say anything?
Well, now is your chance. For a limited time, I am offering a 10% discount on all pet portraits for BlogPaws West attendees. To get the discount, you must purchase your portrait before October 1, 2010.
Please contact me ASAP if you are interested so that we can discuss the details. It is an individualized process, and we need to connect quickly for you to take advantage of the discount. You can read more about the process of commissioning a pet portrait here.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Life is an Adventure!
BZTAT
Check out my Referral Incentive Program! Send your friends here and you could get an ACEO by BZTAT!
Custom Pet Portraits / Contemporary Artwork of Cats, Dogs and other Animals
BZTAT Studios - In the heart of the Canton, OH Arts District
BZTAT with her "Hand to Hand, Paw to Paw" Mural BlogPaws West 2010
When you have an experience as great as BlogPaws West 2010, it is impossible to put into words. I will say a few, then let the pictures tell the story.
I arrived a day early to Denver so I could get things prepared for painting the mural. I had mailed my supplies to the hotel in advance, however, they ended up arriving 3 days late! Luckily, there was a wonderful art supply store nearby. I ended up purchasing all new materials.
The mural image consisted of a dog and cat superimposed on a large heart for the background. Since the theme was about celebrating the worldwide community of pet lovers, it seemed an appropriate image.
The dog was a portrait of Lorenza, who was recently rescued and adopted in Canton, OH. The cat was a portrait of Mickey, whose human (a rescue volunteer) suddenly died recently, leaving her beloved pet without a home.
At the start of the conference, Mickey had no home. Conference attendees took up the charge for his plight, tweeting and retweeting for support.
When I arrived back home to Canton, I learned that Mickey had been adopted to a new loving family!
Creating the mural while interacting with some of the most interesting and inspiring people on earth was a treasure for me. I was deeply moved by the comments people wrote for the mural as well as the stories they shared during the process.
I thank Tom, Yvonne and Caroline, the BlogPaws founders, for allowing me to use their event as my studio for 3 wonderful days.
And I thank all the people who shared and contributed to the mural.
I will soon be receiving professional photographs of the mural, which I will share in this space. In the meantime, enjoy the slide show below to get a real taste of what BlogPaws was all about.
Would you like BZTAT to create a “Dialogues Mural” at your event? Read more here.
Life is an Adventure!
BZTAT
Check out my Referral Incentive Program! Send your friends here and you could get an ACEO by BZTAT!
Custom Pet Portraits / Contemporary Artwork of Cats, Dogs and other Animals
BZTAT Studios - In the heart of the Canton, OH Arts District
