My sister - Victoria Brush - is offering her dramatic original watercolor of a flamboyant banana blossom, entitled ‘Banana Jewel’ (2002), as an enticement-reward for an art-collector contributor towards her niece Bri’s fundraiser. (Read more about the Briana Brownlow Fundraiser here .)

Image size: 7.5 w by 13 h
Finished size: 15 w by 20.25 h (framed with archival materials)

Available for Purchase: Until July 15, 2008 or until sold
Price: $300 +Shipping
50% of the sale proceeds will be donated to the fundraiser.
Shipping: approx. $50 (within the USA only). Actual cost to be determined at time of sale.
Sales Tax: NYC or NY state residents.

Click the thumbnail link for a closer look at ‘Banana Jewel’ details.

Contact Victoria via email: vbrush@mindspring.com if you’re interested in purchasing ‘Banana Jewel’

If you’d like to see more of Victoria’s work, her on-line portfolio is shown on: www.brooklynartist.com/brush

NOTE: Victoria comments that the site’s not very well designed. Visitors need to click on “B” and then search alphabetically for her last name - Brush.

I LOVE photography. Taking photographs - figuring out subject materials - identifying what inspires me - honing my artistic vision - admiring, studying, and learning from other photographers - as well as learning to use my film & digital cameras & digital darkroom art tools to express MY view of the world.

Photography runs in my blood. My father’s a passionate - extremely talented photographer - and bought my sister and me our first cameras in Singapore, ages ago in 1963. I was barely 13. Victoria still 11 and a half.

Sooooo…..now having met Bee (via email) and having learned about the June edition of CLICK at Jugalbandi - a fundraiser to help my daughter-in-law Briana Brownlow and her hubby Marc (my oldest son) meet some of her out-of-pocket medical costs. (Read my June 3rd post for more details.) How can I not submit an entry?

CLICK is a monthly theme-based photography contest hosted by Jugalbandi. This month’s theme is:

Yellow is the colour of HOPE. Through the work of the LiveStrong Foundation, it has also come to signify the Fight Against Cancer. The entries can be viewed HERE. The deadline for entries is June 30, 2008.

* * * * *

We all look at pictures. And immediately read the captions of images that intrigue us. Here’s the story behind my CLICK! entry: Hugs & Kisses Read more

On May 8th, my sweet daughter-in-law, Briana Brownlow, got an email from three enterprising, ambitious, generous (and brilliant….wait ’til you read their sites) Indian women living here in the States, who have rallied the global food blogging community to support a fundraiser in Bri’s behalf. Bri is facing the challenge of a return of breast cancer - now in her bones, some lymph nodes, etc. For details, read her “Memorial Day” post on her food blog: http://www.figswithbri.com/

The fundraising goal of $12,000. (What seemed to all of us a LARGE sum!) is to clear Bri’s medical debt from the first go-round plus provide funds for a year’s worth of alternative therapies that she’s using this time along with conventional therapies.

Bee & Jai of Jugalbandi blog have made CLICK! - their monthly top-notch cuisine photo contest - a special promo for Bri’s fundraiser PLUS are offering a selection of donated raffle prizes for contributors, interested in those items. Read more about the details and the spirit of the fundraiser here: http://jugalbandi.info/2008/05/click-june-2008-a-special-edition/

Bee & her two blogging friends - Shankari http://shankari-rajesh.blogspot.com/ and Manisha http://indianfoodrocks.blogspot.com are encouraging the entire food blogging community to promote the fundraiser on their own sites as well….since everyone has a slightly different audience. If you’re a blogger and feel inspired to publicize the event on your own blog, use the write-up and pictures from here: http://jugalbandi.info/click-for-bri-information-for-bloggers/

The fundraiser began May 30th and will run until July 15th. Bee figured out if 500 folks donated $25 each, it was possible to achieve our goal.

She was right. The response world-wide has been PHENOMENAL! Gifts have poured in from the USA, Canada, UAE, India, Australia, Singapore, UK, Belgium, Netherlands, and Austria. In less than 5 days, over $6200 has been given by 175 contributors - more than 51% of the goal. Most contributors have been women, naturally enough. But it shows what tremendous power there can be to “make a REAL difference,” when we connect with one another, pool our resources, and share our hearts.

Thanks for stopping by!

Please be patient as my art blog is currently “Under Construction.”

I’m adapting a WordPress template…adding some of these lovely “Fourth of July” climbing roses (aren’t they spectacular!) & developing a complementary color palette. As soon as I get the “look” right with sidebar features included, I’ll be adding a Spring Moon Fine Art Prints Gallery with a secure shopping cart….aiming for the end of June 2008.

NONE of my digital art is featured…yet. Am in the process of Read more