Art For Oil: About

ABOUT THE SHOW

I never really touched on why I decided I wanted to do a fundraiser. Art For Oil is a fundraiser I thought up shortly after the devastating BP Oil Spill happened. I realized that everyone was jumping on the boat to help. Unfortunately, I couldn't really help. I couldn't even donate $10 dollars as money is so tight around the house. I realized though that I do have one ability that has the potential to help, and that is the ability to create.

I also thought about how some people might be skeptical about the donation process. You're never 100% on where your money is going and you never really get anything in return (at least not right away). With this oil spill, I will most likely be dead and my children will most likely be almost dead before it is entirely cleaned up. The damage done to ecosystems is irreparable by far and we may never see many species again here on our planet. I value our Earth so much. I may not show that, I may not always recycle, and I may not always be picking up trash when I see it. But the least I can do is do what I love in order to lend a helping hand.

The idea behind the show is that people donate art work. Preferably artists with some schooling, or just with a huge passion for creating, and that they will lend their time to create this work or donate some previously made work in order to sell it at reasonable prices for the local public to buy. Most people enjoy art, but a lot of art is unattainable. I have asked artists to submit small works that are able to sell from between 25-100 dollars. This way, some original and fun work is affordable and enjoyable to the public. All of the proceeds from the work will then go to S.O.S - Save Our Seabirds. I wanted to do a local Madison group but S.O.S. seemed the most reliable. They directly work out of Florida and work to clean up oil soaked birds. Did you know it takes about 10 good sized towels to clean up a seabird? Supplies are always needed. I wanted to submit to an organization that was going to help save something on our planet.

The show will be taking place at The Project Lodge in Madison, Wisconsin on E. Johnson. It will be hung September first with a gallery reception that evening. Following the reception we are hoping to play a small benefit show. Music may be played by my boyfriend Erick and I. We may do some originals and some covers and we are definitely looking for someone to open. Right now the details for that aren't set in stone, but I am hoping to raise about $500 dollars to send to S.O.S.

If anyone has any questions about the show, you can always drop an e-mail at alejjandra.perez@gmail.com. We are currently looking for 10 more artists to submit work. We are also looking for anyone who might want to sponsor us or send in a donation. Any amount will do. We do have a gallery rental fee for the week, and then we're hoping to take our work to an online shop.

This is the first (real) show I've curated/directed on my own. I know that quite a few people have already done a fundraiser like this (My Love For You had a fundraiser that was promoted highly on Twitter), but it felt like the best way for me to help. I owe a big thanks to Tyler Mackie over at the Project Lodge for allowing me to take this great risk inside her beautiful and personal gallery space. I'm excited to hopefully make a difference. Even if it's small. I've been saying this regularly... I don't have any money, but I do have a terribly good knack for water color paints. If I can do anything with that to make a difference here, I'm willing to do so.

Love,

Alejandra