'self portrait with teeth' original painting by rené joshi sims

Let's be frank: it takes a strong person to love this painting. And possibly a very odd person, too. If you happen to be that strong, odd person, you'll be delighted to know that this painting is a full two feet by two feet, making Self Portrait With Teeth a larger than life extravaganza of my dental topography. I painted this while at Yale University's storied Summer School of Art, which is located on a lush and gorgeous estate in Norfolk, Connecticut. I guess I felt a need to balance things out. ~ René Joshi Sims

Self Portrait With Teeth might not look like much but it's been around, having been printed up in Beyond Magazine's Beauty issue and making its appearance in a number of shows. Says René: " I'm kinda gonna miss the old girl."

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!

Self-portrait with teeth 2'x 2' acrylic, oil stick and oil on plywood (unframed) by René Joshi Sims (origin: Saskatchewan, Canada)

Starting bid: $80.00

'hope street' fine art print by xanthe berkeley

"Taking photos has always been part of my life, it’s now my addiction..." says Xanthe Berkeley, who lives with her two amazing boys and partner in London, UK, enjoying life and sharing through her photography.

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!

Hope street is printed on professional paper with a matte finish and white border, at 5x7" or 10x8". Xanthe is also happy to also donate the shipping costs. (origin: London, England)

Starting bid: $30.00

an original painting by Patti Bowman: 'handwritten letters'

Patti Bowman studied painting and printmaking at the University of Calgary in Alberta and at Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, BC. She has continued to study and experiment with different techniques in classes at Pratt Fine Art Center and Gage Academy in Seattle, WA and uses many different tools and media in her paintings, including encaustics, oil, acrylic, relief prints, monotype and silkscreen to create her Jack-of-all-Trades/Conspiracy Theorist esthetic. She has participated in group and solo shows in galleries, city halls, libraries and hot beverage establishments in several cities scattered throughout the US and Canada. She is fortunate to be represented by Stratus Gallery in Banff and Elevation Gallery in Canmore, Alberta, both wonderful galleries in beautiful places.

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!

Handwritten letters by Patti Bowman (origin: USA)

12" x 9" encaustic & monotype on panel

Starting bid: $50.00

'heart in your hand' fine art print by xanthe berkeley

"Taking photos has always been part of my life, it’s now my addiction..." says Xanthe Berkeley, who lives with her two amazing boys and partner in London, UK, enjoying life and sharing through her photography.

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!

Heart in your hand is printed on professional paper with a matte finish and white border, at 5x7" or 10x8". Xanthe is also happy to also donate the shipping costs. (origin: London, England)

Starting bid: $30.00

'drawn by light' fine art print by lorraine beardsworth

Lorraine Beardsworth received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon. She has continued her literary and visual art education through studio and extension classes from the University of Saskatchewan, and through professional development workshops and seminars.

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!

Drawn by light 5x7" fine art print by Lorraine Beardsworth (origin: Canada)

Starting bid: $10.00

'an urban romance' fine art print by myan

"Which of my photographs is my favorite? The one I'm going to take tomorrow." ~ Imogen Cunningham

"Our home used to be a beautiful loft in the historic district of downtown Los Angeles. Downtown is one of my favorite places to photograph because I find the old buildings and the vibrant energy terribly romantic. The shimmering red stoplight in this shot made the perfect heart to reflect my love for this amazing city." ~ Myan

Myan is an artist/photographer originally from the east coast, but who's now wide-eyed and smitten with her new hometown of Los Angeles. "I am greatly inspired by my environment and any opportunity to convey life in one little box full of light, colors, and imagination," she says. She can also be found "painting, ingesting gobs of sweets & tea, and harassing my dear hubby & our crazy critters!"

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!

An urban romance fine art print by Myan: 5x7 printed with archival inks on beautiful fine art photo rag paper, white border, signed on the front (origin: Los Angeles, California)

Starting bid: $10.00

'That was just a dream' fine art print by myan

"Which of my photographs is my favorite? The one I'm going to take tomorrow." ~ Imogen Cunningham

Myan is an artist/photographer originally from the east coast, but who's now wide-eyed and smitten with her new hometown of Los Angeles. "I am greatly inspired by my environment and any opportunity to convey life in one little box full of light, colors, and imagination," she says. She can also be found "painting, ingesting gobs of sweets & tea, and harassing my dear hubby & our crazy critters!"

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!

That was just a dream fine art print, 5x7 with archival inks on beautiful fine art photo rag paper, white border, signed on the front

Starting bid: $10.00

'dandelions' silkscreen by Sara Kugelmass from kids deserve art

This set of silk screened dandelion prints by artist Sara Kugelmass is on wood panels. Each is 12" x 12" with a 1" depth, and with a key hole cut out on back of each panel for easy and secure hanging. Skårt prints are all 100% handmade using eco-responsible materials such as FSC sponsored sustainable wood, water based paints and  eco- friendly, low VOC sealants.

Kids Deserve Art is a mom-owned online art gallery. Haley-O started the gallery after her first child was born in 2005. She always had a love for art, and a strong belief that cultivating children's appreciation for art can significantly enrich their lives. While searching for art for her daughter’s nursery, her mission became clear: she wanted to bring genuine art into children’s lives, while supporting the artists in her community. And so, as the saying goes, Kids Deserve Art was born.

The pieces in the gallery -- which include paintings, growth charts, coat hooks, light-switch plates, drawer pulls, tote bags, and more -- are all created by professional Canadian artists. Kids Deserve Art is a part of Haley’s personal website Cheaty Monkey, which is also a celebration of kids and the art of motherhood.

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!

Dandelions silkscreen by Sara Kugelmass from Kids Deserve Art (origin: Canada)

Starting bid: $40.00

'layers and lines' fine art print by lorraine beardsworth

Lorraine Beardsworth received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon. She has continued her literary and visual art education through studio and extension classes from the University of Saskatchewan, and through professional development workshops and seminars.

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!

Layers and Lines 5x7" fine art print by Lorraine Beardsworth (origin: Canada)

Starting bid: $10.00

'daisy, rhino and the sock monkey' painting set from kids deserve art

Daisy the Cow and Rayme the Rhinoceros are 8x10", and The Sock Monkey is 6x8". These adorable and totally unique paintings will add creativity and character to any child’s room! Keep them all for yourself, or give as a gift. All are hand-painted on stretched and mounted canvas, ready to hang.

Kids Deserve Art is a mom-owned online art gallery. Haley-O started the gallery after her first child was born in 2005. She always had a love for art, and a strong belief that cultivating children's appreciation for art can significantly enrich their lives. While searching for art for her daughter’s nursery, her mission became clear: she wanted to bring genuine art into children’s lives, while supporting the artists in her community. And so, as the saying goes, Kids Deserve Art was born.

The pieces in the Kids Deserve Art gallery -- which include paintings, growth charts, coat hooks, light-switch plates, drawer pulls, tote bags, and more -- are all created by professional Canadian artists. Kids Deserve Art is a part of Haley’s personal website Cheaty Monkey, which is also a celebration of kids and the art of motherhood.

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!

Daisy, Rhino, and the Sock Monkey painting set from Kids Deserve Art (origin: Canada)

Starting bid: $25.00