Santa Cruz Safe Harbor - An Original California Landscape by Marian Fortunati

Santa Cruz Safe Harbor © Marian Fortunati 12" x 9" Oil on RayMar Linen Panel

I have donated paintings to Charitable Events in the past.  I don't do it often and I really have never decided whether it was beneficial (other than to the charity) or not.   I just never gave it much thought.  The type of Charitable Event that I usually favor is the type where the "commission" goes to the charity and the artist is paid for the work.

However, recently when two friends with whom I worked for many years asked me to donate a painting to their event, I just said "yes".  There are many reasons WHY I said yes.  Among the reasons were:

• I worked in different capacities with each of these friends over our years in education and gained a great deal of respect for them.
• These two friends / colleagues have been very supportive of me since I switched from being a Principal to being an Artist - one had even purchased one of my paintings - something which I felt was a great honor.
• Both of these friends are talented artists - both sing and one also dances. - Both sing in the Angeles Chorale, a well-respected group based in the Los Angeles area, and while I am not a music lover, I appreciate their ability to share their love of music with others with their voice and passion.
• They and a few other of our friends have always shared their enthusiasm for their musical art with me and with others.-- a gift I appreciate.

The Charitable Event that they are supporting is a tribute to Paul Salamunovich who has made a significant impact on the Angeles Chorale.  The event is being held on April 16th at the Town and Gown on the USC campus (where I got my teaching credential and Master's Degree).  There will be a dinner, a pianist and a silent auction (thus the requested donation of my painting).  Everyone who has been inspired by Salamunovich is invited to participate in this well-deserved tribute event.   Perhaps you would be interested in attending.   Details can be found by clicking on the link above.

This time I decided spend a bit of time thinking about the donation.   I emailed for advice to my friend with much more experience in shows and in the art world, Laura Wambsgans.  She suggested I pick one of my better paintings.    Hmmmmm.   Well, I'd had a few in mind, but several I had already decided to submit to upcoming juried shows and of the others, I didn't know which to donate.   One, which I thought they might like, was already promised to a Charity Event in April (the kind where the artist gets paid and the charity gets the commission.)  So... I decided to paint a different smaller version of THAT scene and to let the women decide from several images of paintings which I emailed to them.   I didn't tell them that I had painted one with the event in mind, but wouldn't you know... the one I painted with them in mind is the one they chose! 

The surprise bonus is that one of the ladies has decided to purchase one of the OTHER suggested paintings for herself!   She said it reminded her and her husband of their times sailing around the Channel Islands.   (I didn't even know they sailed.)  I'm thrilled!!   So I get to help them support what they love AND they are supporting what I love.   What could be better???

Between the friends I've made along this art journey and the great friends I had before, I think I'm pretty blessed.

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