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Going to Beirut... With Your Help! September 16 2015

We've all heard someone criticizing Art as "excessive" and "unnecessary" and categorizing it as "entertainment", but that view is broken and fully misses the value of Art.  We all need to open our eyes to what Art really is.  It plucks the strings of human emotion.  It taps into our quantum soul that ties us together.  It can give us a perspective on something beyond our own surroundings and expose the true human nature and our shared experience as "spiritual beings on a universal journey"(quote from a friend).  These are truly the goals of all Artwork whether it is a Pixar film, a song composed hundreds of years ago played today by Yo-Yo-Ma, in the movement of a dancer in "American in Paris", or in the brush strokes of a lilypad in a Monet painting.  All these works evoke your emotion as a human being, in fact it is this expression of empathy that makes us human!  This is the true value of Art.  Some people will call Art unnecessary, or a waste of resources in contrast to the massive issues we face around the world.... And these people are missing the point of Art at its core!  Through Art projects around the world, Artists are expressing with grace, all the tragedies and the triumphs of Humanity. The communication of the world around us takes place in Artists' studios in the far outer reaches of Earth and in your hometown.  Art is bringing that need for change to your computer screen or your local gallery and you only need to take a moment to share in this experience to know its value to our global community.  These Artworks are now more important then ever for those of us who want to find truth, sanity and hope for our species. 
Let me share with you how I hope to inspire change in this world where it is desperately needed.  Just over the border from war torn Syria, are areas where many refugees have fled in the Middle East.  I will focus the first phase of my next project here.  My hope is to work for two months in this area of the Middle East painting and exploring the Holy Lands via Beirut, Lebanon, which is at the heart of the old and new worlds.
There is so much energy and potential for planting the seeds of hope and brotherhood and yes, peace.  I'd love to paint at this moment where the winds of change are sweeping refugees in need of support into a culture that is both diverse, vibrant, and budding.  This refugee city is a microcosm of humanity and there is much to learn, document, and paint.  I'm ready to take it all in as an Artist and work in this space.  I'm excited for the possibilities to raise awareness of the refugee crisis.  My goal is to donate my work for sale through Beirut Art International, NGO/UN to benefit the refugee camps where there is well over Two Million people, trying to survive with their families. Upon my return to Connecticut I hope to collaborate with local events to raise awareness of the plight of refugees & promise of hope for the Lebanese through my paintings and photographs.  This is the Video Lacey put together for the project:  
 
There are also several others of me and my work here under my "Video Channel" on this website.  Art can be spiritually powerful, I would like to make a positive change in the world through what I know and through these tools I have, I just hope I can make a difference.  
You can also make a difference by familiarizing yourself with the UN refugee stories from around the world linked here, and by sharing these with your friends and family both in person and online.  That could be you or I with our family trying to hang on to hope for a future, and peace is fragile.  We must all raise awareness to their plight & the strain it is putting on the world.  Please add your comment and suggestions for my project below.  
You can also learn more about my project, share it, and lend your support by clicking on the image below... 
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!!