Rhea Giffin "BeCause"

Here is the ICARE-Faces of Hope mask/artwork I created for the 2010 benefit at the Art Spirit Gallery.

Artist’s note: I was facilitating an art project for juvenile detention students many years ago and was touched by a young boy serving time who shared a story that gave him hope. “The Impossible Flyer.”  It was based on the idea that aerodynamically, a bumble bee should not be able to defy gravity and fly, but amazingly, it does.  This recollection became the base for my inspiration.  Playing with the words Bee; Be; Be Cause.  Because this is a great Cause to Be For, I crafted a simple poem of reason and Be-ingness to affirm what I imagine is at the heart of FACES of HOPE and what families gain from the ICARE programs.  The hand is formed in the American Sign Language symbol for “I Love You.”

Because

     You are you

           Because

                I am me

                    Because

                          There exists

                                   Harmony.

                                                        –Rhea Giffin 2010

Big Disaster/little art auction This is a little spur-of-the-moment, fly-by-the-seat-of-our pants, if-we-knew-how-to-do-it-better,-we-would-have, still, doing-the-best-we-can-in-this-moment FaceBook on-line art auction featuring three inspiring pastel/paintings by  by Peter Presnail and one papier mache sculpture by Rhea Giffin. 100 percent proceeds go to a reputable organization such as Doctors without Borders to help people in need as a result of the recent earthquakes in Haiti.  Started Monday, January 18th, ends Monday, January 25th, 5:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. Open to all FaceBook members. Just select “attending” under the RSVP to bid.  Please let me know if you are unable to follow the link.  Thank you for your participation.

Rhea Giffin’s “Bobbing for Answers” receives the Opal Brooten Purchase Award as well as a cash prize Juried Art Show Honorarium from Citizens Council for the Arts at this year’s 41st Annual Art on the Green.  The artwork selection is being donated to Borah Elementary School.  It is one of three purchase awards that are donated to public buildings in the community.  Judges are internationally renowned artists Terry Lee and Ken Spiering.  Judy Minter, another Northwest Papier Mâché Artists’ Guild member, received two honorarium cash prizes this year.  One for her mixed-media/papier mâché sculpture “100% Natural” and one for a painting titled “Graffitti.”  Judy is also the recipient of a previous year’s purchase award for a papier mâché wall sculpture that was donated to North Idaho College’s permanent collection.  For more information, visit http://www.ArtontheGreen.org

Students from Central Valley’s Barker High School http://www.cvsd.org/barker went on a field trip to see “A House Divided: The Legacy of Lincoln” and “Mindful Navigation: The POA Series” art exhibits at the Chase and Kress Galleries.  I was invited to their classroom the following week to see the papier mache projects they are working on.  What a treat!  I very much enjoyed meeting these people and talking with them as they worked on their art.  I appreciate all the stories, comments and great questions they had for me.

Where:  The Harding Family Center, 411 North 15th Street, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

When:  Thursdays, March 5, 12, 19 and 26th, 2009,  6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Who:  Adults* (mature adolescents may be accepted with my prior approval)

Cost:  $85 per person for 4-week series.  Register by March 1, 2009.  To register, call the Harding Family Center, (208) 666-6755

papier-mache-workshop

I am honored that my art chair, ”Dali’s Darlin’ Ziraffe” is featured in the May 2008 Lark Book publication, 500 Chairs: Celebrating Traditional and Innovative Designs  (page 45).  The book is indeed, “eye candy,” as are all of Lark’s 500 series publications. 

Click here to see American Style review (pdf)

By-the-way, this chair is available for sale or rental through The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture’s Art @ Work Program. Contact Ryan Hardesty, ryanh@northwestmuseum.org

Featuring contemporary and modern art to benefit the Toni M. Robideaux Scholarship Fund, www.spokaneadfed.com

First Friday Art Preview at the Spokane Club in downtown Spokane, Washington, Friday, November 7, 2008

A Red Shoe Event Art Auction at the Spokane Club, downtown Spokane, Washington, Friday, November 14, 2008, 6-10 p.m.

An exhibition of this year’s work will be available for preview in October. If you are unable to attend the event but would like to bid on items in our gallery, please contact Dean at 509.456.8799 for details.