4/23/08 - We made it to CNN's Nancy Grace show!

Last Wednesday I received a call from Naomi Goldstein, one of the producers for the Nancy Grace show on CNN's Headline News. Nancy Grace is featuring an Extraordinary Parent contest, and Naomi asked me to answer some interview questions in a 10-20 minute video. That evening I made the video, with the help of my young friend Natalia Malo, and we sent it via overnight express to Naomi. Here is our whirlwind segment on the Nancy Grace show...

NANCY GRACE - HONOR WITH ART VIDEO

Listen to my archived interview at ZNE on Musings with Chel--BlogTalkRadio!

Our Children: Honor With Art

Welcome to Our Children: Honor With Art, a project dedicated to the cause of missing and exploited children through works of art. My hope is to bring awareness and keep it alive through this artistic, creative process.

I am a lucky person - I am the survivor of a near-abduction when I was twelve years old. It was a scarring experience and this project is the result of putting that negative energy into a positive light. See MY STORY for details of my experience.

If you are a lover of the arts, philanthropist, or just someone wanting to participate in a worthy cause please consider joining Honor with Art. I am in need of sponsors and endorsers so if this is something you can do, please contact me at shawnmarie1961@gmail.com

The current project is in full swing, albeit a slow process. With over 100 artists, poets, and musicians contributing work, this is turning into an amazing piece of work. Please see our list of contributing artists and visit the art gallery for a glimpse of what we're doing.

See our ad in the latest issue of Somerset Memories!

PROJECT DETAILS:

As the founder of the project, I am creating an ALTERED BOOK using work donated to me by over 100 artists from all over the world. It is going to be a beautiful and unique piece of art that will be *auctioned off with all proceeds going to charities that advocate for the cause. All artists who help will be acknowledged for their contributions and will ultimately, be working for a good cause. It has been a whole year since I first put out the CALL TO ARTISTS and it has taken this long to start putting the book together. Without the help of the artists who have given their time and art there would not be a project so thanks to all who have participated. Please take a look at the contributing artists by clicking HERE.

Altered books can be created using any kind of book - new, used, handmade, etc. In this case I'm using a vintage record album, which contained several 10" 78 rpm records from the musical Oklahoma! (the records will not be used). The inside and outside covers, as well as the 6 sleeves inside, will contain artwork from artists all over the world. Art will be collaged onto the pages, and in the case of an album like this, art will be tucked into the sleeves. This book is not meant to close tightly shut - instead it will be bursting with art and other embellishments, inside and out.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

I am no longer in need of artwork for the altered book, but I do need volunteers to help with mailing costs, stuffing envelopes, and other tasks. Anyone wanting to help on this project will get full credit for their work and a link to their website here on the Honor with Art site. I will keep a running list of contributers here as well. If there is anyone with a good idea, email me and let's see what comes of it.

The next plan of action is to send letters to possible venues and art collectors and once I've written the letters I will need some gracious people who will accept the responsibility of mailing them out to a long list of recipients. My idea is to email each volunteer a list of as many names as each person can feasibly handle. Volunteers will mail letters out and email me when they are finished. I will then handle follow-up contacts via email. Email me or sign the guestbook if you wish to help.

SUPPORT:

Besides the long list of artists who've sent artwork in, the online art community EBSQ has offered to sponsor the project and Malaga Smith has contributed this site, with which this project probably would not be possible. Several of the artists who are contributing art have helped by putting my banner with a link to this site on their sites so if anyone wants to do this, please let me know and I will include a reciprocal link here. Anyone else who would like to help out, or anyone with questions, please contact me. Any suggestions on endorsements, advertising, legal issues, auctioning, or anything else would be appreciated, and I would be happy to hear from anyone who wants to participate. If you have a piece of art that you aren't sure about, or have another idea that you would like to contribute that will benefit this project, please let me know. Thanks also to my precious daughter who has brought out the best in me and who can make the sun shine on the darkest of days.

WHO IS PARTICIPATING?

There are some great people participating in this project and so far we have artists in the U.S., U.K., GERMANY, NEW ZEALAND, CANADA, BRAZIL, & JAPAN. What a great way to bring people together and to possible start a chain reaction of others doing similar things to help make the world a better place! Click HERE to see the list of artists so far - or use the "Contributing Artists" tab.

WHEN & WHERE?:

The deadline for art submissions was October 2007, but if you signed up before that date you are still welcome to send submissions to me. Email me for the current mailing address.

ALWAYS send art with delivery confirmation - this way you will know that your package was received and PLEASE send insured if possible.

I understand that everyone's art is precious and I want to assure artists that their work will be treated with respect and will be used solely for the purpose of this project as outlined here. As I receive individual artwork I will post the artist's names here on this forum. Art will be photographed before it is put into the book and posted here in the Gallery.

Here are some good examples of altered books:

EXAMPLES 1

EXAMPLES 2

I do NOT accept financial donations but if you search the Internet there is a wealth of places to make donations directly - please investigate before you donate. My dedication to this project is out of love and respect for my own child, my own experience with a near-abduction when I was 12, and also because I believe that we all have a calling. This is mine.

For more information email
shawnmarie1961@gmail.com

*A WORD ABOUT THE AUCTION: I am in the process of scoping out some auction houses and trying to find an auctioneer who will take this project on. I have even written to Oprah Winfrey, Montel Williams and the View. I have located an auctioneer through Christie's Auction House and this will be a pro bono service. I just need to find the venue. Christie's is busy in the spring and autumn so I'm shooting for a winter auction. I'm starting at the top and working my way down with plans to contact well-known collectors and public figures - even Donald Trump and Bill Gates. Most likely, the auction will not be local for me but it will be open to the public and I want to make it so anyone can bid, worldwide.

As far as the financial side of things - I will not be handling any money. I am talking to a lawyer about setting up a trust fund or escrow account so that money will be placed there then disbursed to the charities. Everything will be well documented for all to see. How it stands now, I want funds to be donated to all countries that have a representing contributing artist and donations will be broken down in ratios, i.e., if 50% of contributers are from the U.S. and 50% are from New Zealand, then funds would be divided equally. Of course, this is just an example and as you can see, there are contributers from all over the world. So funds will be broken down accordingly and donated to reputable child advocate organizations. These will all be published here on this site and will be investigated before any donations are made. Again, EVERY PENNY of ALL funds received from this book will be distributed.

Please sign the guestbook: