My Broadway, My Super Bowl…the Refrigerator.

I just opened a new box of crayons. Can you smell that? Yep. Next to them, I have a fire-engine red piece of construction paper. Can you feel it? Yep. These two powerful items have a promise that’s never broken –  to bond and create a one-of-a-kind reflective piece of life.  Just like the special bond between a parent and a child or your best friend in school who you can’t wait to see at recess.

When you move the crayons over the paper, the line always gets wider, just like our world, expanding and growing. As you start to mix colors, they form layers, like our memories with time. It starts to take form.  It’s often not what we expected….sometimes better, sometimes worse. But we created it and it’s permanent. It may be lucky enough to reach the ultimate stage, the Broadway of this special art form, known as the refrigerator. Or it might find its way across the world, and into the hands of Yolie Moreno.

This is one of many sections..

Yolie, friend and sculpture fan (inspired my Gaia series) is the creator and shepherd of the Newtown Documentation Project – a laborious, but awe-inspiring task of documenting (digitally)  an international collection of 200,000+ gifts, cards, letters  and artwork collected on behalf of the fallen souls of Sandy Hook.   As the photo documentation continues at the Newtown Town Hall, and her deadline fast approaching, Yolie makes a video pass.

For now, Yolie is focusing on her deadline and is still contemplating the home and destiny of almost a million megabytes of precious treasures.

“They are still with you. It will be alright.”

I was lucky enough to touch the raw, loving and caring collection of these creations today. A very heavy crayon mark for me. In my last post, I talked about the importance of living a balanced life…trying to… and to help, I suggested an expressive drawing exercise…a loud coach or a whispering mother. Maybe one of these creations can be it for you. I’m very certain Neely, Dario, Maya, Red, Avril, Hannah, Jennifer and Michael won’t mind. In fact, I think that’s what they wanted. Use them to make something more.
Best, Paul
Paul Shampine

“I know how you feel…I lost someone before…”

“I grew up on 12/14/12”

Healing Newtown Through the Power of the Arts is lead by a strong team – Newtown Cultural Arts Commission, who is supported by the Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut and the Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA). To learn how you can help: http://www.healingnewtown.org

Thank you.
Best, Paul
Paul Shampine
“Living Life with Balance”