Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Art Abandonment Project



Most of you who follow me on Facebook may have noticed recently in the past two months I've been a very active member in The Art Abandonment Project created by Michael and Andrea DeMeng.
Art Abandonment is a group designed to encourage random acts of art, left in various locations around the globe. The idea is that folks can make something and leave it for a lucky unsuspecting person to find. Artists can then post locations and photos of abandoned goodies…and finders can let everyone know that they are the lucky finder! O' sweet abandon!


 Here's an intro page on Typepad for full explanation:
 

Here are several pictures of items I have left from Port Townsend all the way down to Vancouver Washington. If your one of my lucky recipients... Please post what and where you found the item I've left... I'd love to hear your experience...good, bad, or indifferent.
 Left at Doc's Bar and Grill Point Hudson, PT
 I left this one in the ladies restroom at Costco in Silverdale, WA
Sweet Lorette's Cafe and Bistro PT,WA
At a sweet little shop in Port Townsend
 I've left these all over Port Townsend at the hospital, beach, parks, fair,  stores, and restaurant's


These have been left at the hospital in different books and magazines.
 I left this one at the post office where I mailed out 7 others cards to friends around the world.
 These last three are to be abandoned this coming Monday 
somewhere around the Jefferson Healthcare hospital in Port Townsend 
when I go for my next chemo therapy...



For me it's all about the giving part... the putting a smile in someone's heart that makes me want to abandon my precious pieces of me. I put a little bit of my heart and soul in each piece I make... sending it out into the world as a gift to brighten someone's day is why I've been leaving items for the past several years now... This isn't a new concept to me, I just didn't start six months ago when Art Abandonment launched... no I've been leaving little treasures for many many years now...  I just never publicly advertised that I was doing random acts of kindness....

Ever since I got sick in 2000... something in me changed. I knew it was no longer about me but rather how I make others feel that truly matters. I think when we expect things to happen we become disappointed because it never rarely happens the exact way we imagine... but sending little gifts out into the world, no one is ever expecting that they will find something special that day, which makes my gift all the more exciting.

For the past several years on Valentine's day I've been handing out homemade cards to everyone I come in contact with... normally I'm getting chemo that day so most go to the hospital patients, staff, and visitors... I can't tell you how many people have said that it's the first valentine they had received in years, or the first ever random gift by a stranger or friend. Some even said that they've never received a card or gift on Valentine's day... which broke my heart! I started with 50 homemade Valentines... now I average 350 deliveries. Last Valentine's day I had 10 friends send me their handmade valentines to add to the mix to be hand delivered....There is just something magical that happens deep in your soul when you make another's heart sing....♥ With Valentiens quickly approaching it's time to get those Valentines ready... here are a few that went out last year...




So in the spirit of Art Abandonment leave some art. Leave a contact email for the finder…and if you get notified share the message with this group.

Here is a sample of what I leave for others to find alongside my art piece or attached as shown in my pictures above.

If you prefer you can use the contact email: i.found.artwork@gmail.com
Michael and Andrea we'll be checking it often and share the results on Art Abandonment in Facebook... We'd love to have you join in on this amazing movement and adventure... We started with a handful of people... today the group has grown to 6,211 members strong in less than 7 months...People from all corners of our world have joined in, we look forward to seeing you there
Enjoy and have fun! ♥



1 comment:

  1. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful movement! I had never heard of Art Abandonment until I stumbled upon it on your blog, but I am now an active art abandoneer! :) Love your blog and all of it's inspiration! I too am an artist with health issues but it's motivating to me when I see other artists (even people for that matter) who just keep pushing and use art as their outlet. So thank you for both the inspiration and motivation! Looking forward to reading more of your blog! :)

    <3 Noonie @ BSOM

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