5.21.2014

Perspective

I was so honored when Design Ranch asked me to design the cover of KU Medical & Science Magazine because the cover story floored me. I balled after I was finished, like hard. The article is about a woman named Kathy Davis and the extremely sick or terminally ill children at KU. Kathy is their teacher, their mentor, their rock. Someone who helps their family get through the tough spots like surgery or donor issues etc. Someone who is a huge presence in helping their parents with the grieving process if the child passes away, an experience I can't even imagine. I am so thin skinned and don't know how the people in the medical field do it. I'm too sensitive...That's why I do what I do. So how does an artist capture something so inspiring yet sad yet also hopeful? It was tough. But to me, Kathy provides these folks with stability and comfort. But she doesn't ever forget these are children and at the core of every child there is an innate desire to have fun..to be light. To be a kid :) So I drew a tree because Kathy provides them with stability in a scary roller coaster world. She also provides fun, lightness and hope so I made clouds for it's leaves. I made the children happy and light because if they had it their way, that's how I think they'd want to feel. I hope I did this story justice because it's nothing short of amazing. And I just can't my hug my kids hard enough right now. Read the full story here :)












5.13.2014

Blooms of Nigeria

I listen to NPR in my kitchen while puttering, cooking or feeding my little one and I have truly lost count of how many times a lump grew in my throat as a sad story would unfurl on my radio.  I usually change the channel because I feel helpless so why torture myself. What can I do? The latest sad story involves 300 nigerian girls being kidnapped. For what?! My imagination betrays me.....As a mom, my heart breaks for the parents of these girls. IT's ever parents nightmare. What's up with men who do these horrific things in the world? How do they sleep at night? Or look in the mirror when they get ready for the day? Their evil, gross day....If they were American girls would they have already been found? I dunno....Many questions cross my mind. Here is an article about the latest findings. 
As I drowned in my sad feelings and overwhelming thoughts of anger, Artist Rebecca Bradley decided to do something about it and now she's gotten a bunch of other artists to do something too...It might not change the situation but it's putting something positive into the world. An energy...And sometimes that has to be enough. Just think if EVERY SINGLE PERSON in the world did that.
Anyway, Rebecca created a blog called Blooms of Nigeria where a flower for every missing girl resides so that we may bring awareness to this situation.
Here is my flower for sweet Laraba.