Charity & volunteering with my time and talents are a family tradition. This blog post is a memorial dedication to my mom, Norma, a dedicated volunteer.
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Norma Mawhinney Gibson, deceased June 1989, @ age 54 |
Norma, my mother, was a dedicated volunteer for numerous organizations, groups, and individual projects. Her giving nature was as essential to her as breathing. She believed that to truly connect with a community, one must volunteer. Her work left a lasting impact on the hearts of those she served.
Volunteering is not just about giving, it's about receiving. When we feel lonely, depressed, or bored, dedicating our time and energy to others can have a ripple effect, bringing joy and fulfillment not just to ourselves, but also to those we serve.
My mother's years of community devotion have left a lasting impact on me. I, too, find joy in connecting with like-minded individuals, working together to create positive change in our communities.
I have been a receiver of charity and still to this day enjoy the gifts from those who volunteer what they can offer to the community, for example, the Rails to Trails local organizations that have devoted their personal time to organize funding and care for something we all can enjoy without much thought of how it all came to be.
I am so thankful for those people of kindness both in charitable organizations and individuals who in my past life as a struggling single mother, have donated their money and services to me & my son in so many ways to help us with dental services, food, car repair, home repair, mental health support, and even art supplies to improve my day in kindness and usefulness.
Being a volunteer and helping out charities comes from the heart, and this is part of the success for both the givers and receivers of kindness, as it contributes to a healthy community. GIVING is the pulse of our communities.
My sister bought a box of items at an auction that included some old oil paints, which appeared a little worse for wear on the outside of the tubes because one of them had lost its top. However, the oil paint inside is fine and will be put to good use.
This year's Mosaic for Mental Health project, which includes the use of the gifted oil paints, is a testament to the transformative power of art. It has inspired me to create a series of still-life studies, each one a reflection of the beauty and hope that art can bring into our lives.
The three colors I chose from the gifted paints are Cobalt blue, Scarlet red, and Raw Sienna, which is considered a limited palette. To make the shift in values, I used Titanium white and a 'wild card' paint color called Flesh Tone, which I bought years ago and never used.
It fascinates me how many colors one can mix with the three primary colors —Blue, Red, and Yellow—and use white to adjust the value. I love mixing paint and watching the color magic before my eyes. With oil paint's slow-drying quality, I can spend time adjusting until I achieve the correct value or color temperature.
2020 CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS The Mosaic for Mental Health art submission is for anyone who would like to participate in creating Mosaics for sale. They supply a 6"x 6" board for painting, and the creator is free to use whatever medium adheres to the board's surface. Go here to learn about how you can participate.
The Shell Study is on sale for $25.00 each and is available for purchase from October 15th to November 1, 2020, at the Craig Gallery event, Mosaic for Mental Health.
22nd Mosaic for Mental Health
The Craig Gallery, Alderney Landing, Dartmouth, N.S
October 15th to November 1, 2020
22nd Mosaic for Mental Health
The Craig Gallery, Alderney Landing, Dartmouth, N.S
October 15th to November 1, 2020
22nd Mosaic for Mental Health
The Craig Gallery, Alderney Landing, Dartmouth, N.S
October 15th to November 1, 2020
BUY YOURSELF a piece of art, create a growing collection, and a gift-giving idea that gives back to the community.
22nd Mosaic for Mental Health
The Craig Gallery, Alderney Landing, Dartmouth, N.S
October 15th to November 1, 2020
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| SOLD 2018 |
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| SOLD 2018 |
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| SOLD 2018 |
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| SOLD 2016 |
A few years ago, I signed up for a Paint Off event, a fundraiser for the Musquodoboit Harbour, Old School Community Place. They supply the canvas and acrylic paint, while 10 to 12 of us artists take to painting like maniacs within a time limit and a theme that was drawn out of a hat moments before we started.
OMG, the brain whirls, and the paint is slapping away on the canvas while the audience watches us struggle away. We all aim to achieve enough paint on the canvas to be considered art, rather than just an embarrassing mess of paint at the end of a timed session. The audience later votes on who they think is best in each challenge. All but one of us will be voted off till, in the end, there is only one winner. Not ME LOL!!!
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| SOLD 2017 |
I participated in the Paint Off Event twice and can say that I am not a fast painter. Fortunately, I had time afterward to return to my incomplete paintings and complete them respectfully for the buyers. I had a fun day doing the Paint Off, but I will not be doing this kind of time-limited event in the future.
You should find a charity that resonates with your passions and interests. There are numerous opportunities to volunteer your talents and make a positive impact. Take the first step and see the impact you can make!
Art Inspired, Minaz
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