Thank you and Congratulations to Alex and Meg for bidding on and winning SeaGlass #94"Patience" of The SeaGlass Collection #artonasurfboard@friendsconnectfoundation Innagural Park Day Event yesterday. 100% of your donation goes to benefit the charity.
The surfboard was generously donated by @patricia_arroyo_artist and arted on by me. "Patience"
– Know what you want, Take your time, Be silent, Breathe and Watch the Story Unfold All Around You. Having Patience While Happily living your life and living your goal will allow you to see and feel everything you need to in order of the way it goes. What’s the Rush anyway? Savor every moment as if it were your first and your last. Be Patient and All will be revealed to you.
Thank you again @artexponewyork for allowing me to thrive in the experience of showing my art as well as interning in Rising Artist. I loved every moment of helping arisits from all over our creative world have a great show. Such a wonderful learning experience to play dual roles. Thank you for the opportunity. I am grateful for all your clear direction, insight, recommendations and encouragement.
I really enjoyed learning how to build stretcher bars, stretch a 8 painted canvases and build frames for each on. Now I can make a whole piece from scratch!!!
Thank you to my love Kristin Saker for wonderful loving art weekend together. I am grateful for you, your love and all of your help.
Opening Show for Artifications Space in Brooklyn, NY February 16,. 2017.
Thank you @rolandramos77 and @artifications_podcast for opening your space in Brooklyn and inviting me to show SeaGlass #93/100 of The SeaGlass Collection #artonasurfboard "Intuition" on opening night for the open house
Thank you to everyone that helped make the show happen. Thank you to all the artists that displayed their wonderful art and thank you to everyone that attended!!! #gratitude
We had the opportunity to have art shows back to back in Brooklyn, NY. More opportunities to show our work and do what we love and are passionate about.
Thank You Shawn @greenpointgallery for accepting The SeaGlass Collection to People's Choice Salon Show.
Congratulations to the winners!!! Yay for all of you and your art!!! From entry, to drop off, set up and the show you, your gallery, your staff, interns and volunteers were on point, nice, super talented and provided me with a welcome home feeling. I loved every moment of the experience.
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to expand the way I create by asking me to find a way to wire hang my art. The first 92 pieces of the SeaGlass collection have all been leaners. Numbers 93 and 95 are now hangers. Thank you for the eduction and a wonderful place to prepare and show the art.
Thank you to all the artists that showed thier work. It was an honor to see all your art and hang on the wall for a couple of hours with you all.
Thank you to all the musicians that performed last night. Great sound and vibe on both floors.
Thank you @michellestatonart for helping me hang my work
Thank you Ruci for Ruci-ing
It was a pleasure meeting you all and thank you for helping me.
I am grateful for you all.
Have a wonderful day.
We are Blessed!!!
Thank you @wavesforwater for helping get clean water, food, supplies, and rebuild all those affected by the recent storms!!!
Thank you Tillie!!! Thank you @thewonderbarofficial Thank you @matthew_lang_photography for inviting us to help in the relief effort. Thank you @darkcitystrings for rockin out!!! Thank you Asbury Park !!!! Thank you artists and attendees and everyone that wiggled their creative fingers on SeaGlass #99 of #theseaglasscollection #artonasurfboard!!! Thank you for sharing this creative space with me and helping those in need with your creativity and collaboration. Thank you @kdsaker for being amazing and for the photography !!! Thank you @jglennart !!! Thank you @suzanne_ap !!! Thank you @blackglassgallery Thank you @ashleymcfarlandart!!! Thank you @saltedgems!!! Thank you @carvinart !!! Thank you @delm_art.ian!!! Thank you @timmytorchia!!! Thank you @elmthree !!! YAY HELPING!!! BAK
I won the lottery!!!
Video and Photos
I received an email to enter a lottery drawing for the Monmouth County Fair. I was to choose a dates and times I could display my art.
The next email I received said that I had won the lottery. You just have to like the way that sounds when you say it. Its fun.
I arrived early to set up Sea Glass 93,94, and 95. Intuition, Patience and Confidence and welcomed all the attendees to collaborate with me on SeaGlass #99.
Wonderful day of creation and another opportunity to show my art.
I am grateful for winning the lottery.
Thank you Monmouth County Fair! That was our first live paint and show at a county fair.
We Art Here!!! Gratitude Migration was so much fun. Our first festival experience. We Camped, We Arted and We Collaborated with All the Beautiful People, Costumes, Colors, Sights, Music, Art, Sounds, Sand, Sky, Shore, Beach, Ocean, Sky, Sun, Moon, Smiles, Laughter, Chill Moments, Intimacy, Conversations, Help, Acceptance, Synchronicity, Love and Respect of this wonderful immersive experience .
We Arted on peaces of the SeaGlass Collection Generously Donated by
Andrea Laign
Gobo
John Partusch
Jess Browne
Kelly Bolton
Robbie Nelson
The Surfboards with the mannequins had first colors dropped on them by the art of the participants and volunteers of Best Day Foundation during the Summer of Summer 2015.
Video of Best Day Foundation Summer 2015 Events
https://www.instagram.com/p/BCX46PlmzJd/?taken-by=petercnicolaou
The Boogie and Skim boards had first colors dropped on them by the participants of Painting Day for CVR on October 20th 2016.
Video of Paitning Day for CVR
https://youtu.be/dz4v2bUsCkg
All the color, creativity, collaboration and intention of helping those in need of those two events merging together and Migrating to Hello Beach where even more loving people co created with us with hearts on these peaces for 3 days and 2 nights.
Everyone heard our story and eagerly participated in arting knowing that their creative contribution of choosing colors, making a creative choice and taking action by creating love by means of a heart would some day, once the pieces are completed be auctioned of help a special need of the community.
Julianne, Tigerlily, Ruby, Avi, Dawn,
Thank you so much again for accepting us, putting us on the map, in the booklet and on the flyer. We are so grateful for the our first festival experience.
Rucci and Krsitin. Thank you so much for coming and helping me!!!
Sunday April 30, 2017
Thank you to Holly Genevieve for inviting me to live paint and collaborate with everyone at this year's MS Walk at Bar Anticipation!!!
Come Celebrate Earth Day and Paint with Me on SeaGlass #96 of The SeaGlass Collection #artonasurfboard !!! Yay Earth!!!
96 #artonsurfboard. Generously donated by Barbara Brodie and has been wrapped with plastic bags and has items glued to it that would have ended up in the pile. I named #96 #Repurpose to encourage us to find creative solutions to everyday pollution. We collaborated on this peace at Earth Day Live Painting & Collaboration for the Women's Club of Manasquan and then donated it to raise funds and awareness for them at a future fundraiser.
What an amazing day!!! I had the opportunity to go back to where I graduated from in 1998 with something that I made and a story to tell about my art journey.
The space I received to set up was in the Hall of Champions where all the great athletes of Monmouth University had their plaques and Jerseys on display. I felt honored to be close them.
To date I have 70 pieces of The SeaGlass Collection complete with 71-92 in progress. Numbers 93-95 are the first pieces I have made to sell while the others have been donated to raise finds and awareness for non-profits.
I called 93-95 Intuition, Patience & Confidence. Synchronistically on the wall above me were the words Believe, Compete, Succeed and Pete in Compete is my name. It all lined up with my work.
Intuition because that is what I followed to make these pieces to sell to help me live my life.
Patience because I felt that I needed to be extremely patient and let my story unfold as it goes.
Confidence in knowing that creating standing beside and selling my work is absolutely what I should be doing with my life.
I love what I do and am grateful for the education I received from Monmouth University. I am grateful to Susan Folton and the entire Made In Monmouth crew for being extremely accommodating. I am grateful for friends and family that came to visit and show me support. I am grateful for the attendees that stopped at my both to see what I made, hear about what I have made, why I made it and what I do with my work.
Most of all I am grateful to everyone for being super nice.
December 2, 2016
Thank you to everyone who came out Friday night for the Surfrider Jersey Shore Chapter Holiday Hangout. Thank you Beach Haus Brewery for hosting, Main Street Kitchen for the awesome eats, Musician Anthony Lee Loops for the chill sounds and to everyone who collaborated with me on SeaGlass #78 of The SeaGlass Collection #Artonasurfboard which was generously donated by Brad Zoppi.
We glue gunned items to the surfboard that would have ended up in the garbage pile. Now turned into the next phase of this piece of art.
Painting Day for CVR
10/20/2016
Painting Day for CVR - Center for Vocational Rehabilitation.
Thank you to Holly, Diane and Maria for allowing me the opportunity to host a "Painting Day for CVR" Thank youto Kelly Bolton & Jon Den for volunteering your talent and time.
Massive thank you to all the artists that expressed themselves creatively today. You all arted it up
October 15, 2016
It was an interesting night. I was preparing for the Toxic Tins 1 year anniversary at my studio (The SeaGlass Studio) I was having a conversation with Suzanne Spitaletta in the drive way when all of a sudden we heard a screeching tire sound. I turned my head quickly to look and saw the car that was backing out of its drive way across the street still in reverse back up the curb and into my fence.
I called 911 and went to the scene. Fortunately, the driver was not injured. His the bumper of his car and the post of the fence were badly damaged.
I did not make it to the 1 year anniversary. This was the first event I had missed since the opening and couldn't leave the Studio.
Later that night I hosted Birthday Paint Party for Sarah with Holly and other friend Sara.
Holly went to the event to drop off food donations for the soup kitchen at the anniversary event. She called to ask where I was and I invited them to the Studio to have a paint night for Sarah.
I allowed them to use found objects and materials from around the studio to create with.
Sarah loves to paint and was really happy painting on her Birthday. I was excited to host my first event at this location. Yay Birthday Sarah.
Thank you for allowing me to be a part of you day!!!
So from a car accident and non attendance at one event to the emergence of another on the same night and it was a Birthday!!!
Thank you to everyone that came out last night to Toxic Tins Gallery!!! Had a great time working on this piece and completing it at the event. Thank you to John Partusch for receiving "Our Lady of Tinton Falls as a gift to hang in the gallery!!!
Thank you Mark Sharky Coxson for inviting me back again to live paint at the 15th Annual Camp Happy Times Fundraiser. Have a fantastic time working on Lilith. Thank you again for allowing me the opportunity to help set up the event and gather prizes for the raffle.
Yay Boogie!!! Thank you to again to everyone who came out to visit @toxictinsgallery for #toxictinspatriotic on Saturday night .
Thank you to a the all the artists who help art up SeaGlass #56 of the SeaGlass Collection #artonaboogieboard #artonasurfboard donated by @andrealaign . This piece as well as 6 other will be donated to the raffle to raise funds and awareness for the @thevaleriefund #camphappytimes fundraiser !
Thank you to again to everyone who came out to visit @toxictinsgallery for The Toxic Tins Grand Opening on Saturday night .
Thank you to a the all the artists who help glue mirrors and glass accents on SeaGlass #21 of The SeaGlass Collection #artonasurfboard#thewouldbecoolif donated by Robbie Nelson .
Thank you to Gobo for helping me set up the Live Paint area and well as bringing your art to Live Paint on as well!!! Rock On!!!
Thank you to John Villapiano and Sharon Villapiano @seashore_2016 for concerning , hosting and inviting me to prepare the #artonasurfboard and #artonaboogieboard for the happy campers to decorate. It was a fun filled colorful day and I'm looking forward to auctioning the art and fundraising for Ronald McDonald House!!
Thank you so much!!!!
#gratitude
Thank you to Mike Jost, Rob Filloramo and The Headliner for creating and hosting the second year of A Night for Charity!!! Thank you for inviting @athena_auricchio & me to represent, raise funds, food and clothing for the #stgeorgesoupkitchen of Asbury Park.
Thank you McHD, Encore@imdjencore Michael Liconti, Kirk lopez and Suspended Justice for proving the sounds and entertainment.
Receiving such generous donations of food and clothing from everyone that attended last night was inspiring. You all did a fantastic job supporting the soup kitchen as well as all the other charities.
Thank you to everyone who added some creativity to #Seaglass #21 #artonsurfboard of #theseaglasscollection #thewouldbecoolif
Your creativity will help a special need when the piece is designated for a charity and then sold or auctioned.
Thank you to all the bartenders who rocked out last night. You all were wonderful and did your thang to support the charities you represented.
Thank you to Kelly Bolton for helping sell raffle tickets! Thank you Nico Vasquez @niconuts for winning the iPad putting it back in for a bid battle and to Mark @belmarsharky winning the bid battle. You guys crushed it!!! Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!! Your are all a blessing and we are truly grateful!!!!
Thank you @surfriderjerseyshore for inviting me to #artonsurfboard on #21 of #theseaglasscollection #thewouldbecoolif @apbiergarten for Earthday!!! Thank you to all that added some love to the world by creating something beautiful with me!!! Congrats to Mike Joyce for Winning #SeaGlass #8 ROCK ON!!!! Thank you to the @toxictinsgallery
Crew for representing!
@suzanne_ap
@rrusso99
@jasonschack71
@beauofthevalley
@dawns_eye_view
@vintagewords
Thank you again John & Sharon Villapiano @seashore_2016 for inviting me to art on #Seaglass #22 of #theseaglasscollection #artonasurdbaord at the open house today for #seashoredaycampandschool !!!!
#gratitude
"The Gift of Spring"
Thank you to @_juicyjenn @jillricciart @twistedtac for being so awesome today allowing me to #artonasurfboard on #thewouldbecoolif #21 of #theseaglasscollection hand your business cards and promote @parlorgallery !!!! Thank you to all the #artienangels who collaborated w me today! Your creativity will help those who are very special and need just a little help!
Thank you to @suzanne_ap with the power save to keep me going!
Thank you @a_day_in_the_life_of_ruby_ for being so positive and inspiring as well as helping support my work and adding some color to #Seaglass
Grateful, Humbled & Honored to share a beautiful Sunday with you all.
Thank you to everyone that came out to Toxic Tins Transportation Event. The Last Event at Toxic Tins Gallery in Asbury Park, NJ. Thank you to artist Jill Caporoso and James Tullos for helping me create the The Would Be Cool If Rocket Ship. This was my first performance piece in costume. Sad to be leaving the gallery happy for something new and exciting to come.
Thank you to @atomworth for an amazing performance this evening @toxictinsgallery. It was a lot of fun painting to your beats.
Thank you to all the #heartists that came out to the gallery and painted#heartsonasurfboard on #thewouldbecoolif #21 of #theseaglasscollection #artonasurfboard .You all helped special needs with your color choices, creativity, love and Special Help.
Thank you to @johnpartusch and his family for once again opening up the doors allowing music, photography and art to flow through this space as well as allowing me to be a part of it all.
Grateful
Thank you for Jersey Shore Hurricane News for wanting to collaborate with us on An Evening of Special Needs and Special Help #2.
This was an interesting event to because we only had five days to put it together.
In that I time I marched into Ocean Grove and Asbury Park to inquire and receive gift donations for the raffle as well as receive art donations from local artists, acquired a food sponsorship from El Rancho in Long Branch, NJ and with the help of Suzanne Spitaletta and Starr Ackerman we were able to confirm musical guests Ken & Cibon to open the show and Dan Wazay to close it out as well as Marc Costa to provide provide photography and Tony D from Tiki Bar to bartend.
The Big winner as always was the St. George Soup Kitchen of Asbury Park receiving a gracious amout of food donations.
We auctioned off SeaGlass #16 #artonsurfboard for Campy Happy Times.
The raffle was fantastic with a lot of winners and prizes.
The musicians were off the charts.
We even had a surprise prize auction of Bruce Springsteen tickets!!!
aaaand we painted on SeaGlass #21 of The SeaGlass Collection #artonasurfboard the WouldbeCoolif.
Overall we Rocked it and had a blast!!!
Grateful to everyone that helped, donated, volunteered and to everyone that attended to help raise fun and awareness for Best Day, Camp Happy TImes, The St. George Soup Kitchen, Army of Green Men and Sugar Skull Pittie Rescue.
Thank you Mark @belmarsharky for allowing me to collaborate with you today at the St. Patrick's Day Parade in front of Benny Burger to help raise funds and awareness to @thevaleriefund#camphappytimes with #theseaglasscollection #19#artonsurfboard.
Thank you weather for the cold weather this morning. I haven't painted in the cold before and it was challenging but I did it and had fun.
Thank you to all the #happyheartists that painted #heartsonasurfboard today and showed love for special kids that needed your special help.
Thank you to @ad_allday201 for reaching 105 hugs today just because ! Rock on Andrew that was awesome!
Thank you to Mike for asking me to make a picture of Batman for you. I never drew Batman before and to do that outside on the street on call like that really made me nervous and I am grateful for that feeling and drawing from it and through.
Grateful & Thankful for all the lessons, challenges, people and all the love.
Thank you so much. I have never been happier.
Thank you to all the heartists for adding your Love of helping those in need with your heart on the The Sea Glass Collection #artonsurfboard.
Your art will help raise funds and awareness for
@bestdayfoundation
@thevaleriefund #camphappytimes
#stgeorgesoupkitchen
Thank so much for helping me help those in need.
Thank you to @johnpartusch and the Partusch Family for allowing me to live my passion of creating meaningful art that helps people, designing a set, decorating for the event and for you constant consistent support in my creative endeavors.
Thank you to
@makrosephoto
@rrusso99
@andreijackametsphotography
@_through_my_eye_
@joepartusch
@joe_matzerath
@suzanne_ap
@gluvman129
@wendywrocks
@armyofgreenmen
For sharing the creative space and for being good people. It has been wonderful to art with you!
Thank you to Mark Costa MAC Photographing the #toxictinsreflections exhibit. I have never hired a photographer before for an event. Thank you so much for agreeing, helping me, doing a fantastic job and representing @bestdayfoundation.
I am grateful to all of you.
Because.....Mom. Thank you for meeting dad, falling in love, getting married and having me so I can make a tribute to my creators, their creation and what their creation is creating.
#toxictinslove
This was the theme of the event for me. I wanted to say thank you to my mom. She's been through alot since the passing of my dad on February 20th, 2012 and I wanted to make sure she knew that the was loved by me more than she could ever understand and I wanted share that love with everyone that attended the event. The purpose of having the attendees paint hearts on the surfboards was to show how collaboration color, creativity and love can help someone or something in need.
The other reason for the thank you to mom for this event was because through out my life my mission had been to figure out what exactly I am supposed to be doing. This event was a celebration of that as well because as you read this and browse my website you are looking at it and so am I. I create. I create because I love to create and I help special needs with my creations. This is what I was made for and I want to do it for as long as I have life left in me to do so. Create art that helps me and create art that helps everything that is special in this world which is well, everything.
The theme for costume I created comes from artist Alex Grey. It is my version of Holy Fire #3
Thank you Sharon Villapiano for commissioning me to create the #90thanniversary ,#raffleprize and #colorful #colaboration #livepaint#surfboards for #seashoredaycampandschool
BIG Thank you to everyone that attended the event and to all the little painters that helped to create #Seaglass #17#artonasurfboard.
SeaShore Kids Helping @bestdayfoundation kids ...Awesome!!!! Today I am grateful for the experience of helping others with colors, smiles and good intentions. : )
Thank You to everyone that attended the @toxictinsgallery Grand Opening Party!!!! Aaaaaand for collaborating on the #youarthere Gratitude painting!!!
I wanted to begin the year of 2016 with a theme that would carry me throughout the year and beyond in regards to my life and my art. Before this event I had created art for networking events, non-profit fundraisers and for art for art sake because i love creating.
The themes that I choose were. "You Are Good Enough" & "Achieve Life Now" I chose these themes because that is how I wanted to feel about my work and myself as an artist.
The goal was to create art to sell for the first time. I began by writing those intentions on the canvas as well as creating another collaborative piece called "You Art Here" which was a combination of thoughts which come from of "Thou Art Here", "Be Here Now" and "Hey You Come Over Here and Make Some Art Right Now"
I put the the two pieces in the court yard of the gallery and in front of the entrance the "You Art Here" piece. As I was creating a post to invite people to the gallery to paint a girl walked up next me and asked what I was doing. I explained the pieces and she asked if she could paint and I said yes. I thought she was going to paint on the your art here piece. Before i knew what was going on she created a figure on the canvas.
I sorta freaked out at least on the inside. The canvases were supposed to be me working on them while attendees painted their name and one thing they were grateful for on the "You Art Here"
Her art was amazing and that challenged me to add a figure to the other canvas as well.
The artists was Jill Caporoso. She is super talented and is truly an amazing person. The art challenge of creating the figure really pushed me forward. I worked very hard on those pieces and also received help from super talented artist Marilyn Ambler as we complete the pieces into the night before the event and had a lot of fun learning about light and oneness. I also created to other pieces for the event that I called sonogram 1 & 2 "The Twins"
How did I price these pieces? I priced "You Are Good Enough" & Achieve Life Now" at $1,976.00 each. Why? Because 1976 is the year I was born. "The Twins" I priced at $828.00 each. Why? because 8/28 is my birth month and day.
I treated the event and those works as my birthday. The first time I ever stood next to my work with a price on it.
The colors I choose for the piece I made were based on clothing I already owned so on the day of the event I could match the painting all the way down to the haircut.
Life imitating Art or the other way around? I dunno, either way it was a wonderful experience. Jill and I became friends and collaborated on art and community projects together.
Thank You to everyone that attended the @toxictinsgallery Grand Opening Party!!!! Aaaaaand for collaborating on the #youarthere Gratitude painting!!!
Thank you to all the awesome photographers that showed their work!!!
@suzanne_ap @joepartusch @lfritts9 @andreijackametsphotography @makrosephoto @armyofgreenmen @joe_matzerath @sim.pli.fy @_through_my_eye_
My first produced fundraiser. I had just wrapped up my second season with Best Day Summer Events and 1st season as creative director. I also had the opportunity during the summer to Live paint at two charity event and have the works auctioned off. I was wondering what opportunities I would have going into the fall season to continue painting.
My brother called me and told me that John the owner of Gloss Solon where he and my mother both get their hair cut was interested in opening an art gallery in the space. He said that John was interested in the charity work and art I was making and to go see him and see what was up.
I went to Gloss and met with John. He showed me the space where he was interested in creating the gallery and that he wanted to throw a charity event as the first event. I had my note book and began to jot down ideas, names and things we would need to execute the event.
To this point I had created networking event, live painted, and done non-profit work at the soup kitchen and for best day. I had know idea how to execute a charity event.
I called Sharky for whom I lived painted for at Camp Happy Times Event and asked if he could teach me. He invited me to PBA Charity Event at Bar A. I went and watched how the tickets were sold for the raffle, how the items were placed on the tables, what bags where used to hold the tickets and how the format for the event went.
I asked my musical friend Starr to DJ.
I asked Jay owner of Mogo if he would sponsor food.
I asked the ladies from the Soup Kitchen for Help for the Raffle Prizes as well as walking around Asbury Park and Ocean Grove asking local businesses as well.
I asked artist John Lohse to live paint with me and my cousin Nick owner of Event Solutions Corp. to help me with AV support for the event.
The rest of the time I spent promoting the event as well as the creating the art to be auctioned off for Best Day and Camp Happy Times all the way up unitl the start of the event while the paintings were drying in my car at high heat. All dry by the time we got started.
The event went great, I had Starr create a playlist which opened with Major Tom by David Bowie. I wanted this song to start with because I felt like it really meant I was gonna put myself out there further than I had ever gone before whether I was ready or not.
John and I had a great time painting. I was excited to paint with him by my side for great causes. I event had the opportunity to face paint which I had not done yet. On all the monitors where my art and pictures of the charities as well as Photography by John's brother Joe Partusch and Suzanne Spitaletta The soup kitchen received a overly gracious amount of donations. The raffle went smoothly with all the prizes being won and the auction went great as well.
I did beat my self up a bit after the event and for the next few weeks. It was like my brain wouldn't accept that I did a really great job for my first time.
The only thing I couldn't accomplish that night was a live feed as well as teleporting mine john's art on the monitor on the other side of the wall so more people could see. I know right, I couldn't teleport so I failed lol.
After the event I asked John Partusch the owner if I could come to the gallery and paint. He said yes and for the first time I had the opportunity to paint every day at an art gallery.
#Seaglass#5 of #theseaglasscollection#artonasurfboard
Code Name: OnSlot was donated by @artlohse & @onslotcreative
I canvas wrapped the board and brought it to the beach. The kids from best day foundation began to add the first colors to it and I finished it on August 9, 2015 @thevaleriefund #camphappytimes 14th Annual Fundraiser - to assist in raising funds for Children with Cancer and Blood Disorders at the Headliner in Neptune, NJ.
The board was auctioned and won by Penny & Mark. I wanted the kids from happy times to get help from the kids from Best Day. Kids helping kids have a really great experience!
Thank you @artlohse & @onslot for donating the Surfboard.
Thank you Sharky & Krissy for asking me to help by providing art at your event.
Thank you Starr Ackerman for helping at the event and the great photo of the board.
Always thank you to John Lohse.
Very Big Thank You to Penny & Mark for your donation via purchase of the piece.
I am truly grateful for the experience, opportunity to help and all of you!
Produced my Mike Jost and Rob Filloramo
Mike and Rob wanted to give back to the local community by creating the event A Night of Charity at The Headliner Night Club in Neptune, NJ.
Each Bar represented a different charity and the ring from each bar wold be donated to the charity it represented. Mike asked me If i wanted to be a part of the event to raise money for Best Day. I wanted to but I didn't want to bartend anymore. We discussed other options including live painting. I had just received surfboard donations from surf instructor and best day volunteer Robbie Nelson. Some of the pieces were going to be used art pieces on the beach for the kids to paint on. Mike and I came up with the idea of Live painting at the event and then auctioning off the piece for Best Day.
I canvas wrapped the surfboard and prepped it for the event. About 3 hours before the event I was going through old emails and found a goal setting email from 2014 and began to read it. When I got to the part where you write reasons why wouldn't accomplish your goals i reread a lot of negative writing about myself having to do with not being deserving or skilled enough to accomplish any of my creative goals. I felt horrible after i read all that stuff I wrote about myself. Like who am I to be even trying to auction off my work to help a charity. Who would even want anything I created. Makes no sense, your a nobody and you might as well stop because if you do keep going something really bad is going to happen to you.
I cried, I didn't think I was capable or good enough to accomplish anything at the event and event if I did then what would it even matter. I sat there in my bed for another hour and then loaded up my car with the piece and my art supplies, drove to the club and set up.
We decided that a silent bid where attendees would write their name and phone number with their bid on a piece of paper and drop it into a bucket without showing anyone. At the end of the night the highest bid won.
The event began, I started to paint and attendees placed their bids. Volunteers from Best Day came to support, take pictures and Best Day Volunteer Kelly Bolton helped me through out the event. I had a lot fun and that is where I met Mark Sharky Coxson who asked me to do a live paint for Camp Happy Times at his fundraiser in august.
The event was coming to a close and it was almost time to check the bids. I had to name the piece. I thought about what the piece reminded of and decided on the name SeaGlass.
Why SeaGlass? Well when you find a piece of SeaGlass on the beach or it finds you, you generally stop pick it up, see what color it is, hold it up to the Sun light, put it your pocket if you like it and bring it home. I don't know of anyone that isn't happy when they find a piece of SeaGlass and you either keep it or you give it to someone.
Kelly and I went through the bucket at the end of the event and looked at the bids. $75.00, $100.00, $175.00, $200.00 $250.00, $350.00!!!
I couldn't believe it. I thought somebody was playing a joke on me. $350.00 plus attendees also donated money into our donation jug as well.
I called the winner Esther Abady and arrange delivery of the piece to her home a couple days later.
All the paint I used to prep the piece were gifted to me from Artist Kristin Hampton whom I've know since high school and is one of the gifted artists I know. From High School till now has always had that talent.
I went to Ester's house and met her family. They showed me the room where they wanted the piece to be placed. There just seemed something way familiar about all the art in that house and in the room. I called Kristin to tell her about the event and who won. She told me that she had done the murals in their house and in their daughters room 2 years prior with the exact same paint that she gifted to me to make the piece. Wild Right?
I am grateful for the opportunity to make meaningful art that helps Special Needs.
3 Beaches, 6 events, 300 kids surfing and painting.
Prepping the for the 2015 season was great. After the 2014 Summer Event I was asked to be the creative director for Best Day NJ. I accepted and began to plan what the kids would be painting on. Last season we painted on one 15x3 canvas over all six events and although it was fantastic I wanted to separate to each beach so that each beach would have its own specific piece to pant on. That way we would loose any of the kids art by being painted over.
At first I was going to go to Home Depot or Lowes and purchase 3 pieces of plywood and have them cut into the best day logo but before I went I received a call from Surf Instructor and Best Day Volunteer Robbie Nelson. He was moving out of his house and needed some help. I arrived at his house and in the yard were a bunch of broken surf boards and 3 Long boards that he couldnt use anymore. I asked Robbie if I could have them and told him that we could use the 3 long boards for the summer events. 1 board for each beach with its own theme. Then at the end of the summer we can take a group shot. He said yes and that is when the BEST, DAY and EVER boards came into being.
The only thing that happend that was horrible for this Season was Flygate at Brick Beach. Flys were everywhere biting everyone that plus heat equals a lot screaming and discomfort. I literally had to keep going into the water or wrapping myself in towels not to get bit. Poor kids, wasnt so great for them either but the show went on and we had fun anyway.
Sea Girt, Asbury Park and Brick Beaches Beaches
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How I came to Volunteer for Best Day Foundation
I had noticed a post that friends Jess Shada, Sunni Devine and Maggie Keller from CoSM were returning from the beach one day. I live near the shore and was curious to which beach they were at and if they were close to my house. I gave a call, they were about 20 minutes away and came to my house for visit. During the visit I gave them a tour and showed them all the art in sequence from Painting Day for Dad highlighted by my Dad's piece to the current work I was doing. While conversing in the garage I had told Jess that John Lohse had told me that my Ideas were bigger than the canvases that I work on and that I needed to go "Bigger." Jess grinned as Jess does in those moments and walked over to the car while saying, "I have a canvas for you." We unfolded the canvas which measured 15 feet long and 3 feet wide. Jess then said, "Now go Bigger." Up until that time the largest pieces I had arted on were 38x48. We all chatted for a little longer gave love, hugs and then they left.
Photographer Bobby Siliato posted the business card of Volunteer Coordinator Tricia Henkes encouraging people to volunteer for Best Day Foundation and help special needs kids have a fun time at the beach. I called Trisch and told her of my art history informed her that I had 15x3 canvas to paint on and asked her if she would be interested in having the kids paint this summer. She said yes and we began to plan out what would be painted.
We decided to do the Best Day logo. I asked artist Melanie Tsilivitis if she wanted to help me prep and volunteer. She agreed and we prepped the canvas and then on the first day of the event set up and helped the kids paint in between surfing.
Watching the day unfold was amazing. The kids all coming to beach with their buddies. Lake doing the pre event speach and spiderman with the warm up, kids running through obstacle course, surfing and boogie boarding. The entire summer was like that. Each weekend of the events was nothing short of spectacular. Teens, Helping Kids, Happy Parents watching, enjoying and me getting to add color to the whole thing.
Before the last event Best Day ran out of shirts for the goody bags. I offered to sponsor 200 shirts. Once confirmed I tie dyed them all of them over a 2 day period and drew a heart in the middle of them the letters BD for Best Day. My brother Niko then picked up the cost of the shirts and sponsored them.
The shirts were given out and everyone loved them.
On the last day of the event Summer Events. Best Day gave out awards. While Lake was giving his speech and handing out awards I was filming with my phone. To my surprise I was filming Lake calling out my name to present me with a volunteer award for "The Best Mural Ever" as well as coming through with the shirts. To funny because Trisch and John Henkes were taking pictures of me while I was filming with me not knowing that I was going to receive the award.
I was honored and very happy to contribute to a really great cause.
Sea Girt, Brick, and Long Branch Beaches
While working at Envison Health and Fitness in Long Branch, NJ as Front Desk/ Membership Associate and Personal Trainer we invited to participate at the 2016 Tough Sander hosted by the 15/40 Connection.
We had participants in the race a booth to hand out water and I ask was asked to create a collaborative piece of art for the event like I had been doing with the members and with my clients after their workouts.
I decided to use my surfboard since 1 my surf instructor Robbie Nelson said it was the right board for me and 2 I got hurt the last time I went out and wasn't going back out anytime soon.
I prepped the board by gluing rocks, string and parts of sandals I found in the trash. The next morning we went to go set up. One of my favorite songs was playing while setting up by Israel 'IZ' Kamakawiwo`ole , Somewhere Over The Rainbow.
The event began and as participates finished the race the came over the board and wrote their name, team name or their initials on it with sharpys or soft pastels.
Once completed I donated the piece to John D' Esposito founder of the event.
Had a lot of fun. Didn't realize till after the piece was finished that what I was wearing actually matched the board. The attendees really enjoyed adding some color and creativity for a cause.
The owners of the gym really pushed me to create this piece for the event. Happy they did. It was great experience for a great cause of cancer prevention.
Future Primative and Envison Your Name
On another piece of Masonite board I invited member of the gym to paint on. This time I had everyone paint their name. This one was a lot of fun for the member and for me as well. Once I felt there were enough names on the board I made the painting. One of the member said that it looked future primitive so that is what I called it.
Envison Atlas - Collaboration
This is the second art piece we created at Envision Health and Fitness. I took an 18x24 piece of Masonite board and glued a mask, rocks, sea shells to it. I then invited members of the gym to paint it through at the day. This piece even made rounds at the member BBQ. Everyone really enjoyed working on it and I had a lot of fun creating it and finishing it off.
10,000 YEPS
Third event with young event professionals as sponsorship coordinator. The theme was the Ride to 10,000 which is how many member YEP wanted to achieve. Running with this theme I created 5 masks usind ridged wrap, of paris, news paper and glued them to an 18x24 canvas. I also drew 5 faces so that there would be 10 faces all together for the attendees to paint.
The attendees had a lot fun choosing colors and adding their creativity to the piece.
This piece is a combination of Alex Grey's Tool Cover Art for 10,000 Days as well as God Self and Net of Being
Live, Love, Yep
Second live painting with YEP. New Year New Network!!! We originally wold have had this event at Bar 13 in NYC which woiuld have been really cool because that is were I met Artist John Lohse. We would have been able to go back to to the same location and now create art there. Unfortunately, they had a problem with the pipes and we had to find another venue. Fortunately The Village Pourhouse was able to accommodate the crew.
The art lesson for the night from John was to add a background color first that way you don't go around filling in white spots all over the place. I chose blue added the background color. The attendees approached grabbed brushes while I gave simple instruction of paint anything you want and asked questions like 'Whats your favorite color"? Before the event concluded I completed the painting.
Awesome night, packed house, great music and a wonderful experience all around.
While working for Eventsolutionscorp I joined an event networking group that produced events for the event services community The group was called YEP (Young Event Professionals). I had already volunteered at a variety of events to learn more about how event were created and run.
I was in charge of exhibits and sponsorship for the event and worked on inviting companies to show and or sponsor services.
First Live Painting - "Bubble and the Choke
The only thing I knew of live painting of was well nothing. I had never seen anyone live painting before especially not to a totally dope DJ set all night until Artist John Lohse invited me to CoSM. and I had the opportunity to witness Artists Alex Grey, Allyson Grey, as well as many other CoSM artist paint at their events. I just knew that Live Painting was something I would really enjoy doing even though I had never done it before. I mean hard could it be right?
I researched" how to live paint at an event" and found an article that Maria Brophy wrote about live painting and it was also how I was introduced to the work of Drew Brophy.
At first I was just going to show up to the event set up and an easel, canvas , colors and paint. I decided that would be rude so asked for and received permission to paint.
So I literally get to live paint at an event that I helped produce. I was so excited.
I arrived helped all the vendors set up and then I set up my art station. The music started guests were arriving I opened a tube of purple and began to lay the first colors down on the canvas. I had envisioned myself painting a big bubble. As I started paint I started to panic. I had no idea how to paint a bubble let alone a purple one. I didn't event know where to begin.
Now next to me were artists that I invited so that CoSM would have a table to promote the venue and everything it had to offer. I turned to artist Ralphy Void and asked him "Hey, you wanna get in on this?" He said sure took the brush and began to paint. Then Maggie Keller Painted, Sunni Divine Painted, Cole Pierson Painted and Tico Chango Painted. Caren Charles was doing her wonderful face painting on guests. I excited went around the room and invited all the guests to the canvas to paint. The interesting part was a lot of them didn't know what to do either or even what color to choose.
The looks I saw were the same looks and nervousness I had when during painting day for dad John Lohse asked me to pick that first color after my sketch was finished. Everyone Painted, everyone was happy and we completed the piece. I donated the piece to Mike Maturo Co-Founder of Yep.
I wanted to paint a bubble, choked it recovered by turning it into a collaboration. Thank you to everyone!!! Nothing done without you all.
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Volunterra
“The Gathering”