to Haiti with love - the auction - 'mothership' original etching by rené joshi sims

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Earthquake Devastates St. Joseph Home in Port au Prince

Broken Wings is the Canadian fundraising organization whose primary mission is to support the vision and ministry of the St. Joseph Family in Haiti, which includes the St. Joseph’s Home for Boys in Port-au Prince, Wings of Hope in Fermathe, and Trinity House in Jacmel.

Orphans caring for orphans: a beautiful story

St. Joseph’s Home for Boys was Michael Geilenfeld’s dream that became a reality in 1985, bringing boys off the streets of Port-au-Prince to provide them with a Christian home and family.

When French missionaries announced they were leaving Haiti and needed to find care for the disabled children under their supervision, Michael took some of the older boys from St. Joseph's to choose a child to bring home and care for. But the boys surprised Michael when they chose to adopt all the children. Wings of Hope had become a thriving home for disabled children, recently rebuilt and expanded to include a day school for disabled community children and lovely guest facilities.

For more on the St. Joseph's family of homes for children, visit the Broken Wings website.

Saturday

Jan302010

'mothership' original etching by rené joshi sims

I made this etching long before I had kids of my own, at Yale University's Summer School of Art in Norfolk, Connecticut. It's become a favourite image of mine, and over the years it has gained a depth of meaning from my own experiences as a mother -- especially the stormy waters of having a boy with severe autism. (I'm not sure where I've put my crown, though... maybe it's under that pile of laundry by the unused treadmill.)

This is a one of kind piece, and because our focus at Yale was to "go, go, go" and "make, make, make" you'll see that the borders of the paper are not as pristine as you'd usually expect on a fine quality art print. However, once this print is properly matted and framed those small flaws will be completely hidden. ~ René Joshi Sims

René's zig-zaggy art journey: a three year crash course in love, painting, and D.I.Y. at Rosebud, Alberta; Yale University's Summer School of Art in Norfolk; four hothouse years at Alberta College of Art and Design; a year-long mentorship with Canadian painter Eleanor Bond, and another year working on Chautauqua Stars for a Northern City, a public commission for the E. A. Rawlinson Centre for the Arts. The journey came to a juddering halt when René's son was diagnosed with autism. She recently returned to the studio after a six year absence, and is working on a show about healing, loss, and love that glows just hot enough to see by. She lives with her family in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan and blogs in happy obscurity at fruityfantastica.

All proceeds from items sold on the To Haiti with Love auction go directly to the St. Joseph's Family in Haiti. To make a bid, simply leave a comment with the amount of your bid and your email address. The auction will wrap up on February 8, 2010, and winners will be contacted right away to arrange payment and shipping. Good luck!

Mothership original, one-of-a-kind etching by René Joshi Sims, dimensions approximately 15 3/4" x 18 1/2" (origin: Saskatchewan, Canada)

Starting bid: $30.00