Saturday, October 30, 2010

I am laid off from one of my very favorite jobs :-(

I got the phone call as I was walking in to go to work ( early ) . The person I answer to at the Arts and Humanities Council was very upset and very sorry but the hospital... Hillcrest ... has chosen to shut down the program due to $$ problems. I am sure they didn't give an ounce of thought to what they have and what they will miss out on. You can't buy this kind of marketing.... This is a program that costs next to nothing and yields huge benefits in patient satisfaction. It lowers depression, fear, speeds healing times and gives patients a general feeling of good will and warmth rather than cold poking, prodding, boredom, pain, worry etc that fills the rest of their days. I hear from sooooo many patients that this is the one thing they look forward to during their week at the hospital. It is one of the things that makes them inclined to recommend the hospital to others. I could go on but at least I got that off my chest. I guess I better get to my other love, painting :-)

A happy ending to this story.... I GOT MY JOB BACK! After a letter writing campaign from nurses, doctors, therapists and staff and of course, me.... I got called into the principal's office.... ok, not really the principal, the CEO's office.... just felt like going to the principals office. Anyways after a 20 minute conversation with him concerning the value of the program, I was reinstated!!! Cool huh?

SOLD! 6x6 Vineyard

My students asked me to demonstrate painting a landscape. Several wanted to know how I painted my Vineyard painting and so I demonstrated from that original, changed it up a bit and came up with this little 6x6. I stuck it on ebay today with a starting bid of $43 with no reserve. I have a ton of stuff on auction this week considering that I just got laid off from one of my very favorite jobs as facilitator for the Arts and Healing Program at Hillcrest Hospital.. Gotta ramp up painting sales to make up for the difference. Check out the auctions at http://midwest-fine-art.com
You will find a bunch of pretty little landscapes and a lot of one item kitchen paintings.