3 minute read
Art & Creativity
ART & CREATIVITY Artists Giving Back
By Laurie Lamont Murray
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I've been thinking a lot lately about people who give back. We all know people who are the first to donate or volunteer. And others who mean to. And some who, frankly my dear, don't give a damn.
Generous people seem to have several common traits: Personal gain doesn't motivate them. They don't need or expect payback. Their enthusiasm is contagious. They feel gratitude and humility. They are optimistic and don't need to see the fruits of their labor. They believe in others and in themselves.
Interesting fact: Most of my artist friends can check all those boxes! Let me introduce you to a few of them:
Sue Stefanski paints every day, so she is happy to donate some of her beautiful oil landscapes when a good cause comes up. Baker Industries, Kencrest and Habitat for Humanity have all been able to offer her paintings to people for whom they find housing. Sue joined ARTsisters and the Delaware Valley Art League because both organizations are committed to giving back. Recently she created a series of paintings to benefit the Kelly Music Center in Oakmont. Sales of her 12 musician portraits will help the center continue its free concerts, employment of special needs people and other community projects.
Sue feels that art “helps people, just to look at it.” Her work is intentionally peaceful and serene, “a gift from God that you have to use.” She shows frequently and is director of the Haverford Open Studio Tour which will take place this December 4th and 5th, with masks and CDC protocols in place. Visit her website @ www.susanstefanskiart.com. She has some funny stories to tell about painting plein air on the Cerulean Arts video!
George Gallatig remembers feeling envious of other art students when he was young. He thought that “they were magical. That they had powers to build images in their minds and the skill to put them down on paper in ways that
were way beyond anything I was able to accomplish.” George has made wonderful wood carvings for several years and now paints watercolors en plein air in all types of weather. If his paintings intend to communicate an idea or tell a story, his carvings are keepsakes he creates for people, whether they are commemorative ornaments or ornate walking sticks.
George has always put his organizational skills to work by volunteering for non-profit art associations. He is president of the Delaware Valley Art League, and also donates art to libraries, churches and other regional fundraisers. He recalls painting a watercolor at a West Chester event when a photographer requested that he strike a painterly pose to be used for advertising.
George dutifully grabbed his brush, and (after the photographer departed) discovered that he had flicked a huge scarlet blob in the middle of his light blue sky! https://georgegallatig.com Farther afield, Barbara Shelly is an artist who divides her time between the Philadelphia area and New York City. Locally she has shown at Radley Run Country Club, Wayne Art Center and The Yard in Philadelphia. Barbara is a mixed media artist whose powerful work highlights people in the news and their passion for change. She partnered early on with Michelle Cave, who had just started a non-profit professional dance school for kids who couldn't afford lessons. Together they planned fundraisers which could attract attention and create revenue for Ballet and Beyond through sales of Barbara's art. As she tells it, “it was and continues to be a win/win.” Barbara now curates annual shows which have expanded to include other artists and donates 50% of her sales to Ballet and Beyond NYC. One of her most famous clients to date was Spike Lee, who insisted on paying double Barbara's asking price for his portrait in order to help the program. Barbara is a founding member of both Artspeak Collective and Pictor Gallery NYC. https://barbarashellyart.com
Old Barn in Eagle Country by George Gallatig
Out of Work by Barbara Shelly
