Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Please Help me get to New Orleans


Barge (on right) that broke through the levee in the
industrial
canal destroying neighborhood.



Protester in the Lower 9th.


Hi and Thank You for Visiting My Blog.

This is where I will be posting updates on fundraising for the NOLAProject and when I arrive in New Orleans I will be blogging daily from there as well.


What is The NOLAProject??

At the end of Sept '07. I plan to be in New Orleans Lower 9th ward to create a body of work that will help to raise awareness of this tight knit community after the devastation of hurricane Katrina. After 2 years these folk are seeing a very slow rebuilding of their neighborhood. Phrases like "ethnic cleansing" don't seem like they are far off the mark. Through the work
of non-government relief organizations there is hope that this once vibrant, close-knit community will come back.




Common Ground Relief volunteers with founder Malik Rahim, center
of standing group.


I plan to create my work along side volunteers for Common Ground Relief, a group of volunteers working very hard, everyday, in the area. Besides doing drawings, paintings etc. I will be blogging and sending photos every evening to let everyone know what I have been up to and what I am seeing. I think it is esp. important for us northerners to try to get a sense of this. I can't not go--I have to know!

"The recent hurricanes not only devastated much of the city of New Orleans, they exposed long-standing injustices faced by the residents of the lower income, African American communities. It is estimated that over 275,000 housing units were destroyed and efforts to clean up, repair or open livable housing has been slow. In New Orleans Parish, nearly 40% of the community earns under $20,000 per year, and more than 70% of the households are headed by a single parent. The literacy rate in New Orleans is roughly 39%. It is critical, therefore, that the immediate needs of the community are being met while long-term strategies to stabilize the community are initiated." ...from Common Ground web site



Two examples of the beads in the Home bracelet


The Bracelet
I have decided to create a bracelet to help raise money for this trip. I am calling it the "Home Bracelet" and it symbolizes the importance of home for all of us. The little house in the bead has a lot of stormy, swirly patterns symbolizing the flood waters in New Orleans. The beads are all unique and made entirely by myself. I hope you will decide to help and buy a bracelet.

The Art
While in the lower 9th ward. I will be doing paintings and drawings of the scene before me. These will later all come together to form a show complete with written notation. The idea is to try to communicate what is happening down there in a visual way. It is my goal to help people connect with the residents of the lower 9th.
Check out my Maine paintings at www.yikestudio.com

To all who have purchased a bracelet--THANK YOU SO MUCH! I hope you will enjoy wearing it.

Please check back soon as I will have more info and important links.

Suzanne