Summary
For the past 8 months, I’ve been sharing what I’ve learned in 27 years of art study with each of you through my Facebook Live videos. I’ve been honored and astounded by the reception these videos have received – often with over 3,000 of you tuning in to enjoy the live videos. It has brought me an incredible amount of joy. Through the process, I got the idea to develop this into something more, and have collaborated with Emmy-award winning producers to develop a TV show concept called "Paint Your Adventure.” The theme of the show will be all about capturing the heart and soul of plein air painting (painting in the outdoors), while exploring adventure and honoring and preserving our nation’s parks and natural areas.
Recently, I shared that I am a cancer survivor. Getting into the outdoors to paint and explore has had healing and inspirational benefits for me, and I want to share that experience on a broader spectrum.
In order to make this possible, I’ll need your support. I’m looking to raise $25,000 to fund a Pilot episode and sizzle reel of “Paint Your Adventure” which we will use to present the concept to distributors… which means that if everyone who has been enjoying my videos donated just $10, we’d easily reach our goal!
My vision for the full series is about embracing the beauty of nature by plein air painting coupled with the adventure offered at specific locations - from horseback riding in the Rocky Mountains to hiking the Grand Canyon, to kayaking, camping and exploring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and so on! It’s part art instruction, part travel, part adventure.
I'd love to raise enough to allow for guests to come along this adventure with me. Sometimes that guest may be a seasoned professional artist sharing inspiration and conversation, or the guest may be a beginner, ready to explore the joys of painting in the great outdoors for the first time. I want to encourage others to realize the possibility of discovering a the joy and experience of painting en plein air, and discovering a new adventure that awaits!
What We Need & What You Get
We have two options for filming this Pilot and sizzle. Jeremy Salo, Emmy-winning producer of “Your Brush with Nature” on Netflix has teamed up with me to create this series. He and his crew are based in Michigan, and for $25,000 we could shoot in the beautiful Great Lakes area, so I set the fundraising goal at $25K. However, if we are able to raise closer to $50,000, we can film this pilot in Whitefish, Montana at Glacier National Park, which- of course would be nothing short of epic! I’ll be in Whitefish, Montana this July doing a live painting demo at the Sunti World Art Gallery, and could film in Montana during that time. We would need the extra funds to cover travel and accommodation costs for the crew, location fees, etc.
I am very excited about this opportunity to bring this to the world and since I am asking you for help, it is not without incentive, so I’m giving my art to top donors to thank them for their help in achieving this goal!
I will be gifting original plein air oil paintings that I have done to top donors:
$500 donated – an original 8" x 10" oil painting.
$1,000 donated – an original "11 x 14" oil painting.
$2,000 donated - an original 16" x 20" oil painting.
And if you are one of those amazing souls who would like to donate $5,000, I will send you a very large spectacular landscape oil painting, approximately 24’’ x 48.”
All things considered, if everyone that has enjoyed one of my videos gave just $10, it would more than help us get the ball rolling on this fantastic journey.
The Impact
I’ve shared the experience of plein air painting with my 10 year old daughter, and we have created incredible memories together. As a cancer survivor, I would also love the possibility of offering interested children of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital the opportunity to paint along with me in the restorative ambiance of nature, and feel the joy of creating a painting outside!
- As a contributor to this project you will be helping this vision of inspiring people to get out and enjoy nature, respect and preserve our nation's natural areas, and find the renewing qualities of capturing a moment with brush and paint in the heart of stunning natural scenery.
- My current instructional videos have been enjoyed thousands of times by viewers and continue to grow in popularity, thus spreading the inspiration and rejuvenating qualities of being surrounded by nature, and keeping the Plein Air Movement thriving and alive.
- Join us in creating an inspirational and exciting gateway into the world of outdoor painting and exploration!
Other Ways You Can Help
We have one month to raise the funds, as we aim to shoot this in early summer. If you feel inspired to share this with your friends who might like to support the arts, please do.