JOY BAGS

There is something so dear to my heart that I'd like to share it in today's blog...it is a project that I started a few years ago called, JOY BAGS

If you want more information about it's history, or how to give, see:  WWW.Globalimpactworldrelief.org or hit the Global Impact button on my website.

We have an ongoing program to give children at risk, around the world, personal items, school and art supplies in a fabric, draw string bag.  I cannot begin to express the joy and excitement that I have witnessed as children in dire circumstances received their own Joy Bag.   There is

nothing to compare to the expressions of shock and amazement as they open them up to reveal all the goodies inside-all belonging to them!  

In Zambia, when we did an outreach to HIV/AIDS orphans, I noticed the children jumping up and down, exclaiming, "Soap!"  "Soap!"  I  admit that I was puzzled.  Those bags had art supplies, candy, balloons, stickers, pencils, notebooks, you name it. Why were they in ecstasy over bars of ivory soap?  It wasn't until later that a local explained to me that for these children, soap was a luxury item.  Many had never actually owned soap.  I was told that these children would bring the soap back to the shanty town where they lived and share it with their entire families.  These simple bars of soap would be treated as a treasured item within their family for many months, if not years, to come.  Humbling, to say the least!

My passion is to bring art camps to youth throughout the globe.  I wish to offer art therapy types of projects to children who have experienced trauma, extreme poverty, disease, natural disaster, war and the effects of terrorism.  Along with the art camps, my desire is to give each participant a Joy Bag filled with tons of great items to take home with them.  We are always looking for donations of items for the Joy Bags and people to sew the basic draw-string bags.  We also need the finances to ship the bag and purchase other items within the nations that we serve.  If this is something that appeals to you, please go to the Global Impact website as mentioned above.  Please note that all donations are tax deductible and a receipt is issued

as such.  

Thank you-

Launa

Often, many Poetry Art collectors who are not near a gallery that carries my original paintings have never seen one.  I thought I would feature some available ones on my blog, since the website only shows reproductions in giclees, limited editions, open editions and cards.

This piece is acrylic on canvas.  It is a diptych, which means it is in two pieces.  The name is "Arizona Morning" and it measures 28 1/4"x48 1/2" per panel (total width is 97".)  It features a herd of Pronghorn Antelope which are common sites at my home and on the surrounding properties.  When we moved to Arizona almost three years ago, I was mesmerized by these stately creatures, as well as the Black tail Jack Rabbits and even the Coyotes that meander in the prairie grass that surrounds our home.  This piece is for sale.  If purchased through Poetry In Motion, it is $3,500.  When obtain through retail galleries, the price is approx. $6,500-7,500. US

Here is the poetry that this piece is done in:

Arizona Morning

I yawn, stretch and gulp in delicious air

As wind shakes the leaves on a lone Quaking Aspen

And from the slender, wine hued Plum

Music rushes forth

The rustling of hundreds of tiny bird wings

The tinkling of bells

In God's outdoor cathedral

With an altar of cactus and an apse of clouds

A cyprus performs calisthenics

Bending, reaching and waving

Arizona morning

I inhale your unique sweetness

Contemplate the stillness

While the cool air lingers a moment longer

Acres of grasses have been bleached

The shade of platinum blonde

Dried out like straw, yet as soft as duckling feathers

The earth, blood red and rich

Is moist from the evening thunderstorm

An unexpected, uninvited tumult

So desperately needed

Hints of heat creeps into my consciousness

As the sun peeks over the cobalt blue jagged hills

Those mountains look like sleeping Buffalo

Bleary eyed and overcome with dreams

Dusky thoughts are pushed away

As the diaphanous haze that lingers in the valley

I sip my coffee, strong and black

And stare as a lover

Wordlessly mouthing a prayer

Laden with awe

Light moves slowly, caressing the scenery

As though a gargantuan paintbrush

Is washing the land with transparent gold

I am disbelieving that all this is mine

As I listen to birds offer soprano praise

To their unseen Creator

And hope that the herd of Pronghorn Antelope

Will meander closer

So that I can reach out and touch them

With my gaze

A Black tail Jack Rabbit studies me intently

From an overgrown Sage bush

And I realize that the weeds have blossomed

Here in this prairie paradise

So has my life

-Launa (copyright)