Artvsoil-- Helping art

Check out the Art vs Oil Spill (its not a spill!)

[but we know what they mean]

Helping art -- Art versus oil 

This project was created by Paul Jackson in Columbia MO, an amazing watercolor artist among other things.  He started it and the idea has caught on with many artists participating by donating some gorgeous, moving, and heart-breaking images.   Proceeds from purchases will benefit an all-volunteer organization that will use the funds where they can do the most good. Feel free to also donate to them directly!

The name of the organization is Wildlife Rehabilitation & Nature Preservation Society, Inc. or WRANPS. They are a 501(c)3 and their info can be verified on Guidestar, the official website that monitors US Non-Profits. They are also registered with the Secretary of State of MS as a Charity. Their address is P O Box 209; Long Beach, MS 39560.

I contributed Gay's picture of the Atchafalaya swamp (say that 3 times fast) in Louisiana.  It is a mystical, almost unbelievable place especially if you live someplace else and have not spent time in the "deep south".  To me it looks like an image from a video game-- fantastical and ideal -- in a good way.

To see it on a T-shirt go to.....FUN!!
Art to heal and help- Gay Bumgarner

To see more gorgeous pictures of oil-free (as it should be) Gulf Coast animals and landscape go to:
Hearts-to-the-Gulf-Coast

Meanwhile here is a favorite. I call it "dating" in the way of the snowy egret. The fellow with the "hair do" and yellow shoes/feet really makes an impression.

Below is a note from Paul Jackson about the efforts to date and the plans for auctions of the artwork to raise funds in 4 places.

All proceeds donated to local environmental groups to help animals, birds and communities.

Join us...go look...take something with you.

Sharon
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Greetings All,

The Zazzle site is doing very well for it's first month. We've raised close to $2000 for WRANPS already and the site is still growing! We have about 100 images listed and nearly 2000 different products. I continue to list them every time I have a spare moment.

We have set up four art auctions along the Gulf Coast for October The auctions will be held in Pensacola FL, Mobile AL, Gulfport MS and Baton Rouge LA.

Lamar advertising has offered us billboard advertising and a place to ship and receive artwork.
Thanks you for doing what you do best in the face of this overwhelming and ongoing travesty!

Paul & Marla Jackson

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Rant for Booming-- mitigating the damage from oil blowout

Why O why aren’t we really Booming? Mitigating the oil blowout in the Gulf of Mexico

I heard this as an audio and was galvanized.

There are things I know well, like Afghanistan, and disaster response (like refugee camps, post hurricane response) & on those subject I fing that watching people (us) do them poorly is an outrage, a pain, & a catastrophe. Like Katrina or the Afhgan war-- I shout at the television is despair and disbelief. The pain and frustration is unbearable. In fact, on those subjects I sound a lot like Ms. Fishgrease.




What I want to know is if it is too late to do good booming and if not what exactly is being done.

In case the suggestions or questions I have go past too fast in the video I have restated them here. Let me know if you have suggestions. I can only imagine how heartbreaking it would be to watch NOTHING happening as the oil rises on the gulf.

Based on what we hear here from this video, it sounds like there is a job we can do:
a. Get the experts to tell us what to do at this stage about booming & any other ways to mitigate the exposure to and effects of oil on the living things in the water and on shore.
b. Get boom made and delivered. If it really matters we can get the women and the equipment. Can we make more of it with sewing machines, a standard pattern, and the right “material”? If it is money-- get money and then watch it like a hawk.
c. Help in whatever way to get it in place, keep it right and use every means possible to monitor the process. Use google earth, airplanes, boats, word of mouth, radios, and real science.
d. Best I’ve found so far is called "skytruth”  Follow the oil catastrophe via Gulf Oil Tracker 
e. Maybe this is nuts and its too late. If so, tell us. But, tell us if there are other ways we can chip and do things that matter.
f. The Coast Guard is meant to guard our coasts. They should do that, we should demand that.

Our hearts go to all lives connected to the gulf of Mexico.  I've made a gallery of photos from there and add it it every day.  Hearts to the gulf

I for one would be willing to be a boom-tender.  Hopefully I would be better at it than making videos but, in both cases I am trying to improve.

Sharon

The Gulf is Your Fault -- A Story

I heard this story by Mark Fiore while listening to Best of the left podcast. It has a Grinchlike feel with humor and sharpness. I've been modifying various childrens songs with "relevant" content, so beware there may be more to come. But, Thanks to Best of the Left. This fits under "I wish I had written it" and "it only hurts when I don't laugh". We picked the Florida burrowing owl to compliment the Dr. Suess style.