HonoRED to be in "RED...an artistic moment of silence"

It's Thanksgiving weekend, and we have so much to be thankful for. Here are a few of my favorite things to be thankful for these days: family and friends; a new president-elect (Barack Obama) with vision and charisma, who is intelligent, articulate and thoughtful; we just renewed our gym membership so I can keep going to yoga, pilates, and dance and sitting in the steam room (ahhhhh); a new physician that I like and believe will be a worthy partner on my journey to well-being; and opportunities to create art that support meaningful causes and make a difference in the world.

In that light, I am really pleased to be a part of the second annual "RED" exhibition dedicated to World AIDS Day. David took two pieces up to Peace and a Cup of Joe today to be part of this exhibit. The theme this year is self-expression, and all pieces had to include the color red in their composition.

The pieces that I submitted are "Exubredance" and "Airborne." They reflect inner movements of exuberance and joy. In my daily life, I have not been feeling well and spend a great deal of time resting. There are days when everything is an effort. Yet, I am filled with a sense of calm and joy, especially if I have the energy to get into my studio and paint. When I first relapsed, I found myself noticing how alone I felt. Having been at this for a long time, (more than 20 years), I have learned to sit with myself and witness my experience without judgment or blame. Soon this aloneness abated, and I found myself enjoying the solitude. I welcome the quiet space to reach inward and connect with my deambody. I envision myself with lots of energy, dancing and moving joyously. I envision light and new growth. I envision peace and love and a reverence and respect for life. These things that I envision for myself are the same things that I envision for the world. None of us is truly alone. We are all one. There is no place where I end and you begin. We are all on this journey together. I believe it is time that we start supporting and honoring each other and ourselves, and as Ghandi said, "Be the change you wish to see in the world."

"RED... artists lifting one voice in one common thread" is sponsored by The Art with Joe Series at Peace and a Cup of Joe (B-more), in conjunction with the ThickArt Collaberative and Arts for Global Development. Several artists have submitted pieces for this show, and there is

also a featured installation from the TreasurePostcard series from the Arts for Global Development. A portion of the proceeds from this event will be donated to Friends of Orphans aiming to assist those impacted by civil conflict and HIV/AIDS in Northern Uganda. We appreciate your support in this moment of silence.

The show runs through January 31, 2009.

Peace and a Cup of Joe is located at 713 W. Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland.

There is an opening reception on Saturday, December 6th, 2008 from 3-6pm. I hope you will stop by and support the project and help us make a difference in the world.