Grow Your Dreams: August 2011

You can follow my experience in Iceland now at www.Eylenda.blogspot.com

The Dream Seed Story

As some of you may already know, this year, I was offered a highly competitive international artist residency at BAER in Iceland for this coming August . This is a one month artist’s residency, where I will be given an apartment as well as an art studio in which to work. More importantly I will be given solitude, spaciousness and the opportunity to experience an environment that is tremendously inspiring and as a result of this residency a solo show of my Icelandic work is slated for 2012!

I first discovered the Baer residency five years ago, after day dreaming of Icelandic vistas in my paintings. Unfortunately, my Google search found it just after the first year application deadline had passed. When the second year deadline came around, I was pregnant. The third year, I managed to apply, but was not selected. On the fourth year, Baer offered a community program and did not accept applicants. This is the fifth year. This year, I have been awarded nothing short of my dream residency.

But reality being what it is, the cost of this opportunity is actually quite high. Travel costs, the purchase and shipping of art supplies...it all adds up. But by far the most daunting numbers come from my projected lost wages. I support myself by working nearly full time as a private chef. Although my artwork does bring in funds, I funnel them all directly back into my art. I guess this is why parents warn children against becoming artists -- because they’ll likely need another job to pay the bills. So far, it’s been true for me. However, I see the residency at Baer as a chance to turn the tides -- a step toward my dream of becoming fully supported through my art.

Already, the New York Foundation for Arts has awarded me a Strategic Opportunity Stipend Grant to help me get to Iceland. An SOS grant is specifically given to artists for opportunities that NYFA believes will greatly boost their careers and aid in their artistic development. I am incredibly grateful for their support. But it is simply not enough. So now, I am asking for your help and support.

Another recipient of this residency successfully raised funds through something called “crowd-funding.” Crowd funding is the newest way for artists and entrepreneurs to raise funds through micro-donations via. friends (and their friends, and their friends...) on the Internet. I would never have considered asking for help in reaching my personal dreams before this year. But when friends asked me to help them reach theirs, I discovered there was something so satisfying about getting involved in passionate heart felt causes! It made me feel like I had a personal hand in their successes. It’s really gratifying to watch dreams grow right before your eyes. It helped me to realize that no one individual is made without a community behind him or her. You are my community. You have shared in my successes and sorrows over the past years. And now, I would love it if you could help grow my dream of being the artist I know that I can be.

Ready to get growing?

All you need is an email address to make a small donation today! Every single dollar counts and adds up, REALLY!

If anyone would like to donate an amount that can change my life beyond this month, please be in touch, and I will set up a fiscal sponsorship through our local arts council so that monies can be tax deductable. I know there are still great art patrons out there!

Please pass this letter on to any friends of yours who believe in supporting the arts and the artist! Thank you with all of my heart for all the support you have already given me.

May all of our collective dreams come true!

xxxDawn

Grow Your Dreams

Friday, August 5, 2011

Iceland Blog

Generously supported in part by New York Foundation For The Arts

Contributor of the Week!!!!

Blog Archive

Followers