solo show set for may/june

I'm happy to announce I'm having a one-woman show at The Bohemian Gallery in Kansas City! The dates of the exhibition are May 10 - June 14.

I'm determined to make this show little different from past exhibitions and to find a way to show my work from a new vantage point. This will involve unearthing some older work I have not shown, pairing works in unusual ways and best of all, getting assistance from a very amazing and awesome friend and curator: Jane Aspinwall.

I've spent the past few days sifting through older work and putting things up where I can see them juxtaposed with one another. (This even includes my childhood photos and my recent drawings.) It's really interesting to see the dialogues that start to take place between images; I'm discovering connections I never knew existed before.

Here is an example of what I mean:

Croquet Mallets, circa 1963

Carrie and Angie, 2005

 Here's another:

Richard, 2010

Head and Hand, 2013

The Bohemian Gallery is a beautiful new space that will give me lots of room with which to work. While it is always a huge ordeal to assemble an exhibition, I am truly looking forward to this chance to share so much work at once. It should give Jane and me plenty of opportunities to be creative with the selection of images and with the installation.

Much more to come!

kitchen improvements

I am pleased to announce that the Change the Truth Board has approved a major new project for St. Mary Kevin. The kitchen is going to get a facelift!

In 2006, when I first visited SMK, the orphans had their own small area for preparing food. The kids were in charge of preparing the meals. I watched as they chopped wood (while barefoot), lit fires, cooked the food and then scooped it into their own cups and bowls.

By 2007 the orphans had become more integrated into the overall fabric of SMK boarding school, and they were no longer preparing their own meals. The porridge and posho were cooked in an open area by staff members, and all the children lined up there to receive their portions.

Soon after that, a kitchen was built. Inside the covered area was a fire pit and a grate that held three large pots for cooking. That's the kitchen that still exists today. If you've ever been to SMK, you know first hand how smoky that kitchen is. It's hard to stay in there for more than a few minutes at a time; the smoke stings your eyes and also makes it hard to breath.

With a generous grant from CTT, the current kitchen will soon undergo a remodel. Energy saving stoves will be installed, the smoke will be redirected (out) and the surfaces will be more difficult for young ones to reach, hence protecting them from potential burns. The kitchen and food storage area will also be expanded. Overall, it will become a more energy efficient and safer place.

Great news, don't you agree?

team 6 post by suzanne: a doll for a doll

"In my many bags that I stuffed with donations to take with me to SMK, there was one bag that contained a group of very special dolls made by some children in California. They were created at Open Air Studios for the children in Uganda. Each doll was made out of a variety of colorful and textural fabrics and was a personal expression of the child who made it. Elaine Armour, founder of Open Air Studios (see blog entry from December 11, 2012) and her students carefully packaged up the dolls so they could be given to the children for Christmas.

The children at SMK are familiar with dolls, of course; each year they make banana fiber dolls for the CTT annual friendraiser/fundraiser.  As the children were making their banana dolls and writing short little stories about themselves and the doll they had just made, I gave them each one of the dolls from California that also had a small story attached.  It was a doll for a doll.

There are no words to describe the moment you give a child a gift , especially one that is made for him or her by another child. This gift can be held and played with - and it will be at their side when the children say their prayers and go to sleep at night.

Thank you, Elaine and the children at Open Air Studios for making children who live so far away feel close to you through the love of your dolls."

 Suzanne

Here is one of the letters of thanks. It was written by Ronah and recently delivered to Lily, the girl in California who made Ronah's beautiful new doll;


Hi Lily,

I am very happy for the doll you have send me. I am called Ronah. My
favorite colour is orange. I am in primary six. My favorite game is
netball. This doll will be called Carol. Let me hope you will love
this name. Thanks. 

From Ronah

new pastels

love letters

I'll be honest with you. Running a non-profit can be frustrating and challenging.

I've been having a pity party all day because of a particularly difficult situation that's come up. And, of course, to make matters worse, it's a gray and dreary day in Kansas City.

The sun just came out, though: I received a package of letters from some of my young friends at St. Mary Kevin, delivered via the USPS and team leader Suzanne.

Now that the tears (from reading my letters) have dried up enough for me to actually see my keyboard, I'll share some excerpts from these shiny little letters. Many are adorned with stickers and drawings of hearts. All of them brought me out of my doldrums and reminded me to get up, dust myself off and move forward. These children continue to inspire me and make me smile. Over and over again.

"I love you so much and I miss you. Thank you for the pictures of me that you sent. I looked beautiful. And thank you for making me your friend."

"I will never forget that time we drew together and you gave me a drawing. It makes me feel that I have many people who care and love me."

"I miss you because I love being next to you."

"In Team 6 I had three best friends. They were so kind to me and we played the following games with them - netball, rope skipping, etc. and we made flowers and we had lunch and we were so excited with the team but now we are going to miss them as we missed you."

"I remember that day we at the Serena Hotel. That day was the most good day of my life."

"In Team 6 I got a sister called Leah and a dad Josh. I was the first girl to give them a tour. I loved them  and even now I still do."

"Everyday I attend a lecture at the University I get inspired. Everyday I am able to dress up properly and walk around with people of great honor. I feel proud. Everyday you remind that I have a lot of contributions I have to offer to this great planet earth by being the best change that I can be. And surely I will achieve that one day, just one day!!"

"Thank you for not leaving me behind in the world."

a new tradition is born with team 6

I just received this post from Team 6 leader Suzanne. I am grinning ear to ear this morning; I don't think I've ever seen such joy on the faces of the kids at St. Mary Kevin Orphanage! Suzanne's photos are awesome and amazing.

"What do you get when you mix the following:

Mangos

Rope

Pillowcases (2)

Bandanas (2)

Balloons (many)

Whistles (2)

Kiddos (many)

Sense of adventure and fun

Wild laughter and jumps of joy

Screams and screeches of pure fun

And a competitive spirit?

You get a new  tradition... Spirit Day at SMK!  On three sunny, hot Ugandan afternoons we gathered as a team and rounded up the troops to have what was a High School tradition for me growing up - Spirit Day. A day of fun and games for all.  Laughter erupted, cheers encouraged winning teams to the finish line, and a spirit of joy filled the grounds of SMK.  We played pass the mango under your neck, limbo, wheel-barrow and potato sack races and a kiddo favorite, the water balloon toss. The matrons howled with laughter. At the end of the day tootsie roll pops were had by all, and there were prizes for the winning teams 

The pictures say it best. Team 7: get ready to have some fun with the new SMK Spirit Day tradition next December."

strings for uganda

Music has always played a significant role in CTT’s involvement at St. Mary Kevin Orphanage. The marching band was formed in 2008, and additional instruments have been added over the years. Lessons have been given on recorders, melodicas, wind instruments, guitars and drums. 

SMK has a terrific music teacher in Ivan. He works patiently with the children and has raised them up from very humble beginnings. Various team volunteers, including Monique, Max and Shane, have provided instruction and encouragement, as well.

Dancing, drumming and singing have been part of most all the children’s lives since they were very young.

As you can see in this one-minute video by Lynne Melcher, the children simply love anything having to do with music. (And they sweetly tolerate my own questionable dance moves!)

A group of four talented young people who call themselves “Strings for Uganda” will travel to SMK in August to share their love of stringed instruments. Amaya, Nick, Lindsey and Hannah are already busy planning their two-week curriculum and are so excited for the opportunity to introduce violins to the children.  They will leave instruments behind, along with instructional videos and (hopefully) will be able to arrange for the hiring of a part-time violin teacher from a music school in Kampala. This way, the fire they light will continue to burn.

"Strings for Uganda" will hold their first fundraiser on February 9^th at Hamburger Mary’s in Kansas City. You can read more about it here. Funds raised will be used to purchase instruments and music equipment.  We hope to see you there!

tom and randy's garden

During CTT Team 6’s visit to St. Mary Kevin, everyone took a break from projects one pleasant afternoon to celebrate the dedication of ‘Tom and Randy’s Garden’, a 69’ x 144’ plot of land that is nearing its first harvest of maize and cabbage.

The launch of this new project (which was made possible by a generous anonymous donor)  has been highly anticipated and now a cause for grand celebration. Guests were escorted in a procession to the flourishing garden by the marching band, which belted out jubilant tunes.  Even some local villagers joined the group. Once assembled within the secured walls of the garden space, several orphans representing the various ages of post-Secondary, secondary and primary level (Nelson, Nicky, Tina, and Kaifa) eloquently conveyed their appreciation for the fine vegetables that will soon begin to enrich their daily diets.  In addition, the full-time gardener and Joan Faith shared their thanksgiving for this project. 

    

Food in Uganda is always a struggle.  Even though the country is blessed with a favorable climate and incredibly fertile soil, most people living in Uganda still go hungry.  They go hungry because of prices, which only continue to increase. When prices get too high, families must make the tough choice between eating lunch or supper, because they simply cannot afford both.  Also, people in Uganda go hungry due to poorly balanced diets. Often the cheapest foods here in Uganda, even if grown locally, are not necessarily those high in vitamins.  Eating the same low nutrition foods too much or too often can lead to certain health challenges.

St. Mary Kevin Orphanage is no stranger to these challenges.  SMK is committed to providing three meals a day to the children, but with a budget of $.75 per day per child, it is a struggle to serve balanced meals.  The staple food product at every school in Uganda is maize flour.  It is made into liquid porridge for breakfast and firm posho with a side of beans for lunch and supper.  While there may be a variation of a meal (or two) during the week, children eat that same menu daily.

 

With the introduction of ‘Tom and Randy’s Garden', more vegetable and fruits will be added to the children’s daily diet. With a crop of more than 100 ears of maize almost ready for harvest, orphans will enjoy ears of roasted corn with several evening meals.  With more than 60 heads of cabbage growing large and firm, their bean mixture will consistently contain bits of the vegetable for an additional boost of vitamins. 

The additional great news is that CTT Team 6 came bearing seeds from Sutherland (in Atlanta, GA) ready to be planted in the garden.  In the months to come, the children will enjoy carrots, watermelon, various types of greens, squash, cauliflower, green pepper, turnips, and much more. 

Great thanks to Change The Truth for establishing and funding ‘Tom and Randy’s Garden’.  And an even greater thanks to Randy and Tom, who began a small garden project at St. Mary Kevin during CTT Team 3’s visit in 2009. The two men had a strong desire to enhance the nutrition of the orphans.  This new garden will do just that – and will continue to benefit the children in a healthy way over and over again for many years to come."

Post written by Melissa

Photos courtesy of Suzanne

renewal

I realized last night that it is easy for me to get wrapped up in the logistical, political, financial and managerial details of running Change the Truth and forget what it felt like when I returned from my first trip to east Africa.

But it’s important that I remember. The way I felt was what compelled me to start the organization in the first place.

Last night I had dinner with Natalie, one of the members of Team 6. She’s been back in the US only a few days. Hearing her speak (quite eloquently) about what she is thinking and feeling after having been in Uganda for two weeks was all it took to shake me back to my own state of mind from 2006.

I’m so glad. Remembering why I am doing what I’m doing is the only way to keep moving down the road with a full and open heart.

So, thanks, Natalie, for the fresh perspective and the reminder to stay true to and focused on my original mission.

Hopefully, Natalie - and others from Team 6 - will write down their thoughts and share them here on the blog soon. 

new pastel

Once or twice a week I have the great pleasure of hanging out in my studio with my good friend Gail. She and I bring a bottle of wine, some good music and our art supplies. We lay out our paper and pastels and, in the blink of an eye, three or fours hours have zoomed by. We chat. But sometimes we don't. We look at what the other is working on and give input. But sometimes we don't. We just enjoy each other's company and the satisfaction that comes with doing something we truly love.

It makes me think this is what a quilting bee or a sewing group might be like... with a few more women gathered round the table. In fact, we'd love to have a couple more women join us. There are four chairs at my table, after all.

Last night I felt I needed some inspiration to get me going in a slightly different direction. I selected a Matt Mahurin photograph, and that's what got me here.

socks and years

Have you ever thought about how many socks you've lost over the years? You know, the ones that never show up with their mate when it's time to fold the laundry? There must be a huge pile of missing socks lurking about somewhere, all striped and polka dotted, hushing and hiding and being giddy every time we go to the store to purchase new pairs.

Years are kind of like socks, I guess. They have a knack for disappearing and causing us to scratch our heads and ask "Where did all those years go?"

I got to ring in 2013 with my 24-year-old son, Max. He and I played Scrabble. We found this old score sheet in the box. The years between that game long ago and the game last night: where are they?

In the lines on our faces. In the knowledge we have acquired. In the friends we have made. In the places we have traveled. In the friends and family we have lost. In the family we have gained. In the books we have read. In the lessons we have learned. In the things we have made. In the music we have heard. In the people we have loved. In the set-backs we have suffered. In the successes we have celebrated. In the laughter we have shared.

The socks eventually need replacing. The years, not so much. They're still there if you look hard enough.

Happy New Year to all.