Speaking in Public is Very Green!

Title: "Share the Journey" Buy online!

Medium: Encaustic (Beeswax and Damar Resin) 24" x 24"

On my journey to help the environment I have thought a lot about how to get my message out. Yes... my paintings using reclaimed materials speaks about our environment, but I needed to take the next step. I realized my paintings alone weren't enough and that I needed to talk about them as well.

I am the type of person that is perfectly happy in the background watching others in the spotlight. So the thought of standing in front of a microphone in front of a crowd was not on my list of fun things to do. However, if I wanted to reach large groups of people I decided I would have to jump in and find a way to make public speaking part of my life.

The more I thought about public speaking the more it made since to me. It doesn't take a lot of resources to speak in public and yes, I could go to a networking meeting and meet about ten different people who may or may not be interested in the environment. However, if I spent the same about of time and spoke at that same event, I would reach all of the people at the meeting plus, after the meeting people who would be interested in my work and the environment most likely would come up to me.

Last month, I joined a local Toastmasters group to learn more skills about speaking in public. I wasn't sure what to expect or what I would learn. To my surprise, every member in my group reached out to me to help! How refreshing to see so many people helping each other and sharing their stories. When Mitch McInnis, my speech mentor who was assigned to me, asked if I would donate some art for their upcoming Toastmaster's conference, I decided to create a piece inspired by all the people who have helped me.

Toastmasters will auction my original encaustic painting by selling raffle tickets to raise funds this weekend. After I finished the painting titled: "Share the Journey," I thought about how I could use the image further. I recently went to a workshop by Debra Cortese about licensing art, so I have been thinking a lot about how to sell my images to different markets. I found a print on demand website to try out the idea of selling prints, mugs, totes and cards to provide items for convention goers who wanted the painting, but didn't win the raffle as well as something they can purchase anytime after the conference.

Check out my new online store and let me know what you think! Thanks...

International Park(ing) Day 2010 in Coconut Grove

Park(ing) Day in Coconut day was a hugh success! Not so much with large crowds, but it was a launching pad for future Park(ing) Days in Miami. I had to explain Park(ing) Day to almost everyone I met. The only ones who really knew about it were there volunteering. For those of you who still don't know... Park(ing) Day is celebrated in many cities around the country to bring awareness to green spaces and environmental issues. Its where you take street parking spaces and turn them into parklike green spaces.

Biking is encouraged, especially on Park(ing) Day. We had a few people ride their bikes and used the green space to park them.

When I arrived there was much to do. We did have some help from the city parks department. They brought the sod to us and helped place it.

Pie studios brought their beautiful eco furniture for everyone to enjoy.

Here is our working crew, thankfully not afraid to get their hands dirty.

Students from FIU shared the space with me. They used reclaimed milk cartons to make seating.

I met these three very green young women who sketched with me and even made a sign to get people driving by to think about green space.

It was a fun day that I was proud to be a part of. I loved sitting in our green space sketching and talking about green ideas with green people all while connecting the environment to art.

To see more photos, check out the Coconut Grove Grapevine.

International Park(ing) Day

Fall for Arts Starts the Cultural Season!

Today I went to one the best ideas to promote the arts for the city of Miami that I have seen in a long time. The event was called Fall for the Arts Festival located in the Adrienne Arsht Center Parking lot and was sort of like a old time community town fair. Art from every discipline from visual art to live performances to children's art education was represented. I really enjoyed seeing so many arts groups all in one place easily accessible to the community side by side in white fair tents. Here are a few of the photos I took...

The Bahamas Junkanoo Revue were as enjoyable to watch as they were to listen to.

Jeanine Dronsick, managing editor of Around Town Magazine on the left shown above was there with Susan Glass. I happily snatched up a year's subscription at half the price... the deal of the day! Around Town Magazine is a fabulous full-color, beautifully printed magazine with interesting articles about culture in South Florida; art event listings with full descriptions; and even a dining guide so you can figure out were and what to eat once you are out and about.

Bands entertained the crowds...

Heather Bettner was there showing off her peacocks that are currently on display in Coconut Grove. Here is the map of all the peacocks.

I met these two adorable girls from Estampas de Colombia Folkloric Group. I love to see when people put in the extra effort to make their organization stand out.

The day was so hot people waited in line for free water. Something to think about for next year when you want someone to come to your booth!

Studio Art Miami had a hands on activity for the kids. They made a living tree where the kids made the leaves by coloring them with markers and got to hang them on the branches... very cute.

Of course, I was most impressed by the Bicycle Valet! Nice green initiative sponsored by Mack Cycle and Green Mobility Network.

All and all it was a great start to the season.

Day 104 of the Gulf Oil Spill...

The cement and mud are filled scheduled to start the "Static Kill" today. The Miami Herald has stopped documenting the days of the spill, but thankfully have add two of the promised four series of articles about the clean up.

My sketchbook about the Gulf oil spill is getting more attention now. Our local Miami PBS station Channel 2 just filmed me last week and posted the interview on their website. Thanks Jessy!

To view the film, click on the link below.

Artist Profile: Nancy Martini - uVuSouthFlorida Video

July 4th - Day 75 of the disaster in the Gulf

Day 75: The Battle for Freedom From Oil

Today's sketch carries the flag for Independence Day. The flag flies backwards to pay tribute to our soldiers who's flag on their uniform is backwards as well. The backward flag represents bravery as soldiers go out to war with the flag flying behind them as it would be if they were holding the flag.

As I sketched, I thought about how much the oil spill is like a war for sea life and sea birds who have no way of defending themselves through oil filled water and boom collected oil burns. I thought about how scared the animals must be and how brave they are to continue to search for peace in a safe and healthy environment.

My kids tell me my current sketchbook is creepy. Yes, I tell them the oil spill is horrible, deadly and irresponsible and although we can't see it locally it right now in Miami, we will and it will change our lives forever. I want them to remember how fragile life is; how we need to support ways to use energy without oil; and how important it is to protect our environment.

More pages from my sketchbook...

My sketchbook and the oil in the Gulf has been giving nightmares. I dream about suffocating cries from turtles and dolphins. I reach out to help them, but my muscles and skin are all gone. There doesn't seem to be an end. Every day it just gets worse.

Day 72: BP ignites the boomed oil slicks without checking for sea life. Turtles die, ships are turned away that are searching to help find and capture turtles in harms way. With today's sketch, I stopped using the cutout date from the newspaper as in previous sketches because I no longer trust what the media says about the oil spill.

Day 71: Hurricane Alex hits the shoreline of Mexico missing the devastated oil spill area. However, the category 2 hurricane lead to two deaths and left hundreds injured and homeless.

Day 70: Scientists make a plan to collect 70,000 sea turtle eggs and make a home for them at Kenedy Space Center. Once hatched, the turtles will be released on the east coast of Florida.