Ashley Cecil

14″ x 17″ oil on canvas
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Much to Al Gore’s relief, climate change is becoming a political hot topic comparable in prominence to national security and health care. Many who have jumped on the bandwagon blame all environmental ills on our contribution to the demise of our planet with unwavering assertion. Folks in the middle full-heartedly welcome the issue to the discussion table with open ears, and a sincere willingness to act once shown the sound, unequivocal evidence. And like any heavy issue, in the other corner are those who think the entire claim is a scam founded on ultra liberal interests in finding something to save, fix, and advocate for.

Personally, I’m attentive and listening, but not yet willing to stop flying or ask my landlord if I can plant more trees on his property. In spite of my moderate stance, the freakish storm I drove through on Wednesday had me second guessing my POV. I flinched from pounding hail and blinding rain, intermittently exchanging with glaring sunshine on this unusually cold day in April. I got in my car while the sun was out, experienced the entire mess within a 10 mile drive, and somehow got out of my traumatized, weather-beaten Nissan without any need for an umbrella. Although the skies were relatively clear by the time I arrived at my destination (surprisingly in one piece), I was then worried I might be struck my lighting on my way to the door.

Just in time to sway any doubt in my mind, I turned on NPR to hear that tomorrow is the National Day of Climate Action. Once upon a time, only those on the far left acted to change mounting evidence that our planet was becoming a sticky, hot garbage bag we play in. Now, everyday people are giving the evil eye to folks fueling up their Escalade.

I know my death defying story of survival with my sharp driving skills in the face of chaos from the sky above has compelled you to take action. Great! So go here, and find out what’s going on in your community tomorrow for National Day of Climate Change. 1367 events are planned in 50 states.  So don’t fret, there’s something for everyone!

14″ x 17″ oil on canvas SOLD See all artwork available for sale. Much to Al Gore’s relief, climate change is becoming a political hot topic comparable in prominence to...

8″ x 10″ oil on canvas
SOLD
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I’m always surprised to see how people respond to each of my artworks. Evidently, I’m not very good at estimating which of my paintings will be favorites. This sketch got great reviews and one of my clients asked to buy it, even though I don’t typically sell drawings out of my personal sketchbook. Then I got an email asking if I would make a painting of the image, and voila!

The request for this painting came from a friend, Jardana Peacock, who has been good news for me since day one. Jardana contacted me months ago to ask if I would submit a few paintings for a civil rights focused art exhibit in Lexington, Kentucky sponsored by Open Ground. Not only do I love that she follows my work and emails me about events of interest for my blog, I’m also inspired by her professional commitment to activism. Jardana is a graduate student in the Pan-African studies program at the University of Louisville, and a graduate assistant for the Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research.

Louisville is proud to claim Anne Braden as a resident since she was a pioneer in white leadership during and after the civil rights movement. The research institute named in her honor is an asset to this community in continuing Braden’s work of advocating for social justice (the institute’s next event will be to host a lecture given by NAACP chairman, Julian Bond, on April 4th).

Jardana was especially drawn to Braden’s work, evident in her confession that, “I am an activist because of Anne, I moved to Louisville because of Anne. I know that one person makes a difference because one life affects one which then affects others… Anne Braden said, “Part of the direction your life goes in is simply an accident of whom you meet at a certain time.” (taken from Anne Braden’s biography, Subversive Southerner by Cate Fosl).” Ashley is one of the MANY beautiful/conscious-building/revolutionaries I have met in Louisville and for this I am forever changed.”

Thank you so much Jardana! I hope you enjoy the painting.

8″ x 10″ oil on canvas SOLD See all artwork available for sale. I’m always surprised to see how people respond to each of my artworks. Evidently, I’m not very...

6″ x 9″ watercolor, $70 ($10 donated to Water for People)
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Yesterday was World Water Day, “an initiative that grew out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro.” The theme for 2007 was “coping with water scarcity.” Many of us in developed nations have no concept of what water scarcity means on a personal level. I certainly got a sense of the problem while I was in Venezuela. I had to pack my drinking water with me for my stay in the country, and avoided nearly all vegetables so as not to eat anything washed with unclean water. Even in the major capitol city of Caracas, clean drinking water was an issue. Multiple factors such as overpopulation, poor infrastructure, and lack on funds contribute to the United Nation’s estimate of over 1.1 billion people currently without safe drinking water.

World Changing posted an excellent list of resources, projects, and events that address water scarcity. It’s worth a glance.

Happy belated Water Day!

6″ x 9″ watercolor, $70 ($10 donated to Water for People) SOLD See all artwork available for sale. Yesterday was World Water Day, “an initiative that grew out of the...

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6″ x 9″ watercolor, $70 ($10 donated to the Ky Humane Society)
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Another sad story of animal neglect (hopefully to soon be followed by a happy ending involving a new adoptive home):

In late February, “Tico,” a terrified ten-month-old Pomeranian, was surrendered to KHS with a badly injured rear limb that had been entangled in window blinds. A KHS veterinarian immediately administered medication since the young dog appeared to be in severe pain. After completing a medical evaluation, the staff veterinarian concluded that the injury was at least two weeks old and, due to limited blood circulation, there was irreversible immobility in that limb. Unable to save Tico’s leg, amputation was deemed necessary.

Visit the Kentucky Humane Society’s website, or call (502) 366-3355 to ask about Tico or other adoptable pets.

Ps – Great update in a comment below…

6″ x 9″ watercolor, $70 ($10 donated to the Ky Humane Society) SOLD See all paintings available for sale. Another sad story of animal neglect (hopefully to soon be followed...

8″ x 10″ oil on canvas, $220 ($50 donated to the Center for Women and Families
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It’s 3am, your spouse has just given you a black eye in front of your young child, you have no one to turn to and nowhere to go; or at least that’s what you assume. In the Louisville area, there is support for just such an individual regardless of who, when, and how. But more than just an emergency care center, “the Center for Women and Families engages individuals and community in the elimination of domestic violence, sexual violence and economic hardship through service, education and advocacy.”

I recently had the pleasure of a private tour with the center’s president, Denise Vasquez Troutman (who, by the way, is gracing the cover of this month’s Today’s Woman magazine). Once again, Denise’s enthusiasm knocked me over and made me feel like I was moving at a glacial pace. She walked me through the halls of a strange mix of a lock-down facility still maintaining the warmth of home. Motivational quotes inspiring strength and hope are painted on the walls next to bright artwork. This is a safe place for victims and their families to heal, grow, and recover.

But the painting above was not from one of their multiple centers, but rather from 2 nights ago when 20 years of “service and survival” were celebrated at a gala dinner. Approximately 1,000 guests gathered in a ballroom filled with these white floral arrangements to support the organization that supports so many in their own community.

Ps – For those of you anxious to get out in your gardens as a result of this painting, stop by this popular gardening blog, whose author is graciously helped me spread my work throughout the blogoshpere by posting this painting. Thanks Tricia

8″ x 10″ oil on canvas, $220 ($50 donated to the Center for Women and Families SOLD See all paintings available for sale. It’s 3am, your spouse has just given...

7″ x 9″ watercolor, $70 ($10 donated to Urban Harvest)
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This post was supported by Serenata Flowers. Have flowers delivered to your loved ones for any occasion.

You might have imagined this citrus tree on a farm surrounded by a lush green landscape, when actually in its backdrop were towering Houston skyscrapers just a mile away. Thanks to Urban Harvest, this tree gets to inhale an abundance of air pollution in an much needed area.

The organization is “dedicated to strengthening communities through gardening…launched as an effort to ease urban hunger, but now also addresses,

• neighborhood revitalization
• environmental education for the young and old
• supplemental income for low-income residents
• farmers’ markets
• horticulture therapy and
• organic horticulture business partnerships”

You can find Urban Harvest gardens in schools, parks, housing projects, religious institutions, vacant lots, and therapy centers. Believe me, in a city that seems to have enough asphalt and concrete to blanket the earth, colorful and nutritious gardens freckling the landscape are welcomed by all.

To accommodate a variety of needs to ensure that as many gardens are erected as possible, Urban Harvest delves into grade school education, adult gardening classes, nutrition and exercise, growing food for donations, selling produce for income, gardening as therapy, and community development. I never realized what a diverse tool gardening could be in an urban setting. It’s also very fitting in a time when illnesses, such as type 2 diabetes, run rampant due to poor eating habits, and our environment is in such desperate need of nature’s touch.

7″ x 9″ watercolor, $70 ($10 donated to Urban Harvest) SOLD See all paintings available for sale. This post was supported by Serenata Flowers. Have flowers delivered to your loved...

8″ x 10″ oil on canvas, $220 ($50 donated to Girl Scouts of Kentunckiana)
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Unless you live under a rock, you’re familiar with the Girl Scouts. My own short lived involvement with the Girl Scouts never amounted to more than a few badges and “Brownie” status (I was more of a 4-H kid). But don’t let my lack of badge flare and camp stories lead you to believe that I’m not a huge fan of the organization. They help an astounding number of girls blossom into beautifully well-rounded young women.

Even if their work doesn’t especially speak to you, lets be honest, you love their cookies. Don’t lie! You’ve hid Do-si-dos in your sock drawer just like the rest of us. If you have an exceptionally strong affinity for these treats, then you would have been in heaven at their recent “Desserts First” fund raiser. Local Louisville chefs lined the edges of a ballroom with tantalizing gourmet desserts made with the base ingredient of Girl Scout cookies. I had a feeling most of the guests left with a slightly sugar-induced sickness, yet blissfully full.

Ok, so it wasn’t exactly great timing for those committed to their New Year’s resolution of losing 10 pounds. But the “I’ll-start-my-diet-tomorrow” excuse held a little weight in light of the cause.

8″ x 10″ oil on canvas, $220 ($50 donated to Girl Scouts of Kentunckiana) SOLD See all paintings available for sale. Unless you live under a rock, you’re familiar with...

8″ x 10″ oil on canvas, NFS

Born from a golf tournament benefiting women’s causes in 1993, Women 4 Women has since exploded into a mature organization funding, and otherwise supporting, women’s services in Louisville Kentucky. In their first year, $60,000 was raised for their cause, and they’re now on their way to raising $10million by 2010.

“Our work is twofold: we raise funds and we raise awareness about issues that affect women and families. Our job is to give women and families the tools they need to help themselves.” -founder, Cissy Musselman

As their name grows and changes are seen as a result of their work, Women 4 Women is more frequently talked about at the dinner table. While recently at a party in Columbus Ohio, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that a local resident I was speaking with knew of the organization well. Clearly, more and more interested ears are becoming acquainted with the comprehensive list of issues tackled by Women for Women. I hope that as awareness snowballs, Women 4 Women’s imprint on the lives of women in Louisville follows in measure.

While sitting in on Women 4 Women’s first board meeting of the year, I got inside details about one of their most current endeavors. The National Center for Family Literacy will receive funding from Women 4 Women for the “Financial Education and Coaching Program” to meet the financial literacy needs, with a focus on family stability, of under-served families with extremely low levels of income. This seems to be an ideal form of intervention to cure a problem rather than manage it. When given the tools to help themselves, such “under-served” people will show their potential has merely being laying dormant, awaiting the opportunity to rise above the hardships holding them down.

8″ x 10″ oil on canvas, NFS Born from a golf tournament benefiting women’s causes in 1993, Women 4 Women has since exploded into a mature organization funding, and otherwise...

8″ x 10″ oil on canvas, $220
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No matter your level of involvement in the arts, if the slightest bit of interest exists, I highly recommend taking advantage of every opportunity to see artwork of “the masters.” I never truly appreciated much of what I studied in college until I was face-to-face with the originals in such museums as the Smithsonian and the Art Institute of Chicago. It’s in these places I have sat in front of the works of my idols for hours pondering sources of inspiration, philosophies, technique, and influences.

On my recent trip to Washington DC, I had the pleasure of visiting the Phillips Collection, housing artwork of artists such as Braque, Picasso, Matisse, Rothko, and personal favorites Eakins, Degas, and Renoir. Don’t get me wrong, I could sleep in art history class with the best of them (dimmed lights and monotone lectures reminiscent of Fred Savage’s science class from the “The Wonder Years” is better than Sudafed for drowsiness). However, the difference in personal engagement with the actual artwork on the canvas the artist built his/herself is an infinitely more substantial experience.

Although much smaller and more intimate than its better known counterparts, The Phillips Collection was the first museum of modern art in America. And as any reputable museum would, The Phillips Collections offers an array of educational and professional opportunities available to everyone from first-grader to scholar.

So, next time you’re strolling the sidewalks of Dupont Circle in DC, stop in to see a stunning collection of artwork you’re sure to enjoy.

8″ x 10″ oil on canvas, $220 SOLD See all paintings available for sale. No matter your level of involvement in the arts, if the slightest bit of interest exists,...

7″ x 9″ watercolor, $70 ($10 donated to the Squallis Puppeteers)

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I tend to gravitate towards organizations that focus on dense issues, often overlooking those with a lighter touch. Let me correct that by sharing with you my New Year’s Eve experience. I was a bit perplexed by the invitation for the Squallis Puppeteers‘ “Monstruppets” performance. I wasn’t sure if I would be attending a Halloween thriller or a New Year’s Eve bash. What I ended up going to was a hybrid of the two holiday celebrations.

The nonprofit, powered by volunteer puppet enthusiast, put on a side-splitting display of antics for a crowd spilling into the stairwell (I was lucky enough to find a mushroom stool to sit on, which was next to the church pew). The puppeteers, dressed like bandits in black, brought their colorful creations to life to comically scare their audience into 2007.

Events such as this are really fueled by a pure interest in having fun, not saving the world. Although, the Squallis Puppeteers are finding no lack of opportunities to integrate their creative hobby into a useful tool for theatre education and other community engagements. When they’re not entertaining themselves by crafting larger than life creatures with hot glue guns and building materials, they visit schools, churches, the local zoo, Bernheim Forest, and other local venues. Their ever-growing presence brings shock, awe, and smiles to every event they attend or host. It was a great way to spend my last night of 2006!

7″ x 9″ watercolor, $70 ($10 donated to the Squallis Puppeteers) See all paintings available for sale. I tend to gravitate towards organizations that focus on dense issues, often overlooking...

8″ x 10″ oil on canvas, $300 ($50 donated to Church of Our Lady)
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Over the years, the Louisville neighborhood of Portland has shifted from an original hub of commerce in the early 1800′s to a densely populated residential neighborhood. Of course, a lot has happened in between point A and point B. Many of such stories were told by the people who lived them at “Portland Stories” hosted at the historic Portland landmark, Church of Our Lady.

Seated at the stunning altar in a semi-circle were ten proud Portland residents reading from scripts as if in the early rehearsal phase of a play. The amateur performers varied in race, age, sex, education, and socio-economic background. I was delighted to see the narratives were told by residents representing the area’s diversity since my perception of Portland is that of a predominantly minority neighborhood harboring a disproportionate amount of Louisville’s homicides and other crimes. I am entitled to say this since the first apartment I can remember living in as a child hugged the Portland area. Instead of telling people the proper name of the street I lived off of, Dixie Highway, I gave them the fitting adopted name, “Dixie Die-way.” My father also grew up in the vicinity in housing projects that made for stories strikingly parallel to some told by the performers. You know, “…too skinny because ketchup sandwiches don’t get you far,” and “the shade of my cousin’s front porch was a favorite hangout on hot summer days.”

The Portland Museum played a large part in organizing the event by providing rehearsal space and transcribing the stories. It was a wonderful performance highlighting endearing chronicles of Portland. Events in this same vein are scheduled fairly often to engage the community in its lively history. Reverend John Burke conveyed that the community’s involvement is not what he would like. I’m optimistic that continued efforts, such as bringing in the Squallis Puppeteers, will entice a larger audience. Speaking of which, stay tuned for coverage of tonight’s New Year’s bash with the Squallis Puppeteers, and a happy New Year’s to you!

8″ x 10″ oil on canvas, $300 ($50 donated to Church of Our Lady) SOLD See all available paintings for sale. Over the years, the Louisville neighborhood of Portland has...

6″ x 8″ watercolor, $60 ($10 donated to the Home of the Innocents)
SOLD
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“Christmas on Campus;” it’s a term near to the hearts of every University of Dayton student and alumnus. While attending the university, COC is the transformation of campus into a fairytale playground for an enormous sea of local children “adopted” by students for the evening. Post graduation, the name changes to “Christmas off Campus.” In this case, alumni chapters organize an event in the same spirit to coincide with the real McCoy. This year I suggested that my local chapter volunteer at the Home of the Innocents.

Since 1880, this nonprofit has been serving children who are medically fragile and/or victims of abuse, in addition to housing and supporting pregnant and teen mothers. Their doors are never closed and many of their clients really do call the Home of the Innocents “home.” It’s a facility with a waitlist that speaks to its tremendous success.

Glad to help such troubled children during the holidays, our group of 36 volunteers wrapped donated gifts for the Home’s residents. With several hundred kids, each receiving multiple gifts, we obviously had our work cut out for us. A wrapping frenzy ensued as volunteers dipped into meticulously labeled bags of toys and clothes. Tables were crowded and scissors were stolen, but we finished the job. I hope the children who are facing the supposed happiest time of year while coping with loss, grief, and sickness will at least momentarily forget about their worries while they destroy our fine display of wrapping expertise.

6″ x 8″ watercolor, $60 ($10 donated to the Home of the Innocents) SOLD See all paintings available for sale. “Christmas on Campus;” it’s a term near to the hearts...

8″ x 10″ oil on canvas, $200 ($50 donated to KY Refugee Ministries)
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Only my generation could pull off naming a social fundraiser “Blingtini.” That’s what you get when the Young Professionals Association of Louisville combines “bling” (much thanks to Davis Jewelers) with martinis (not actually together in a glass of course).

8″ x 10″ oil on canvas, $200 ($50 donated to KY Refugee Ministries) SOLD See all paintings available for sale. Only my generation could pull off naming a social fundraiser...