Update on RISE Exhibition at the Seattle Design Center

We had great success for the RISE exhibition reception and charity auction on the 24th. Sales of art from the auction went to support the Rise n' Shine organization and we raised over $3200! The exhibition will be displayed until May 20th, 2010 at the Seattle Design Center, so if you haven't already checked it out, please do. We're raising money for a good cause, the Rise n' Shine organization helps kids affected by HIV/AIDS including summer camps, group support, and art projects. Some of the proceeds will also be donated to Artist Trust which is a wonderful Washington state arts organization. One of the artworks sold in the auction was my charcoal drawing "Drowning", shown below with an explaination of the significance of this piece for the RISE exhibition. Enjoy.

Life is a choice. We may be born into situations and circumstances that are beyond our control, but we have the power to choose how we wish to live. Decisions we make daily shape and redirect our path, for good or ill. We may see an opportunity to rise up, to reach our goals, to get out of a bad situation, but it is so hard to place our foot on that first rung. It’s easier to stay down here where it’s safe or at least familiar. And it is here we must make a choice. We may choose not to climb anymore, finding the effort to continue up unbearable. If we choose not to choose, we still have made a choice. Or we may choose to pull ourselves up out of the muck and rise above the tree tops, gasping and heaving, to see the world anew. “Drowning” is about that moment of decision, when we either keep wallowing in the muck or we choose to take action to change our lives. I wish for you the courage to RISE.