Promise

"Promise"
20"x24" acrylic mixed-media painting 
with original photography image transfer 

"Promise" has been created for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation's

  Promise Council.

I am so honored to have been asked to create a piece inspired

 by their mission to "promise" to help to eradicate pediatric AIDS.

Not only is it an amazing promise it is absolutely possible.   

A little info about "Promise":

"Promise" is a piece full of symbolism, and while I often like to leave that to interpretation, in this case I think it is important to share the specifics...

This painting is 20"x24"mixed media acrylic painting on canvas, which is highly textured much like the landscape in which we walked during AIDS Walk Africa.  The photo of the children is an image transfer of a photo I took in Swaziland for AWA of school children I met.  The photo has been dismantled and reassembled to create images of children both showing promise and hope, as well as children caught within the AIDS pandemic.  

Additionally, I have used a photo image transfer of the cellular form of the HIV virus and dispersed it throughout the painting (strips of orange color) 

symbolizing the AIDS plight the children are faced with and eradicting it.  

The flowers at the base of the painting symbolizes the children's song that they bravely sang to us during AWA 2008 at a school 

"HIV is killing our community.  We are the flowers of our community." 

 The flowers being another symbolic image of hope and promise.

In 2008, I participated in AIDS Walk Africa with EGPAF in Swaziland 

It was a calling of my soul to connect to 

mothers and children impacted by the AIDS pandemic,

 something I knew I had to do.

It was an incredibly inspiring and eye-opening journey.  

A journey that leaves you forever changed.  

You can't go to Swaziland and witness the reality of the AIDS pandemic

 (33% of the population is infected) without knowing you must do more.

"Message from Swaziland" was my response to what I witnessed. 

So to be asked to create a piece specifically for EGPAF's Promise Campaign feels like a natural extension of the 
"Message from Swaziland" series.    

I am honored and grateful to offer this piece to those who PROMISE.

This quote from Elizabeth Glaser says why we must do more so perfectly....