Photo Credit: gobuttit photography

Rich had this to say about how he got started:

“I’ve always been into art and was the art geek in school. It came naturally to me that I would use art as a release and escape when I started going through problems in life. It became my cure without even realizing it. It wasn’t until I started telling people how I used art as a release and a cure that I realized how powerful art can be to someone.

I put my artwork on MySpace, as most artists do, and it started to attract attention from people. One girl in America emailed me one day asking about my work, so I told her my story; how it helped me deal with problems, what the paintings represented and how it made me feel. She replied a few days later telling me that she had been suicidal for months and used self harming as a release from the pain she was feeling. After hearing me tell her about using art as a form of therapy for myself, she went out and bought all manner or paints, brushes, pens, paper and spent a couple of days locked away experimenting with art as a release. She concluded the email by saying she didn’t think about self harming once in the last couple of days and that telling her about art as a cure saved her life.

This made a big impact on me and I thought, if I can do that for someone I’ve never met without even realizing it, imagine what I could do if I poured all of my energy and resources into this, and the movement Art Is The Cure was born. In the last year since the project began, it’s grown to help people all over the world and inspire thousands of people to deal with problems through art.”

Rich is based out of England and his own art is primarily rooted in street art, with stencil and spray paint (my own personal favorite). You can check out his pieces, along with more on his organization at his MySpace page, www.myspace.com/artisthecure.

I’d love to hear more from you readers about how art has been a release in your own life, and any other individuals or organizations you know working for similar causes. I’ve seen art as therapy exploding everywhere, and it’d be great to hear more. Be sure to write Rich, as well, if you’d like to tell him how art has helped you deal with issues you’ve faced.

Let’s face it: there’s no lack of talent when it comes to Jedidiah USA’s artists. This time, I’m featuring Patrick Maxcy, a guy with a serious passion for conservation of land and animals. He supports the National Wildlife Federation and the Wildlife Conservation Society. Here’s what he’s got to say about the direction of his he(art):

“There are so many unexplored animals around the world. We continue to find new species or creatures we never knew existed. We as people can coexist with animals and learn so much from them. They are a lot like humans emotionally and intellectually. Through my art I try to get people interested and talking about the odd and intriguing animals of this world. Animals are extremely intelligent and are dying off daily. Telling a story through one’s art is an extremely powerful tool that provides hope for the future generations.”

Check out Patrick more in this video featuring Jedidiah’s Hope Collection Tour in Florida.

Jedidiah’s Hope Collection Tour in Florida from Jedidiah Clothing on Vimeo.

You can also find more of Patrick’s work in the Jedidiah artist prints shop.

The piece pictured here was painted by Brandi Stanley on 48″ x 24″ compressed wood with acrylic, spray paint, and Sharpie paint markers, at an event for Falling Whistles (http://www.fallingwhistles.com/). It has since sold, but I am offering commissioned pieces similar to it (at a price to be agreed upon), if you’d like to contact me directly to discuss sizing, changing the words on the sign, removing the whistles, or any other alterations.

Just write me if you’re interested!

Ty (also known as “samo4prez”) works in all mediums, primarily painting, but says his biggest passion lies in writing. Clay and bronzing are part of his roots, but he says, “I keep creative as much as possible; I am finishing two novels with two others in the beginning stages…Sometimes I have the inner argument about being an artist who writes or a writer who paints. Maybe I am both.”

He and his wife just moved back from China two years ago, and they’ve moved around 14 times in the 8 years they’ve been married. The couple now resides in Lewisville, Texas. But, as Ty claims, “I will go, live and create anywhere.”

When asked what issue he feels most passionate about, he responds with, “I don’t think there is one particular issue. There are many that I support in a number of different means. Anything involving children I will put everything I have towards if I feel strongly about it. I have traveled and worked in many orphanages, handicapped schools, and boys homes for abused kids all over the world. My heart breaks for kids who are in need.

“Right now I support Falling Whistles through my fashion company, Veritas. I have gotten to know Sean Carrasso, [founder of FW], over the last year and a half and I believe in his vision and him as an individual, which gives even more strength to the cause he is fighting for in DR Congo. I support Invisible Children. I have a lot of dear friends who work there; I have been able to observe them since day one become an amazing and successful organization. My wife and I buy TOMS Shoes like no tomorrow, so that is support. They blow me away…amazing people and amazing vision as well.

“We are in the process of raising money for an orphanage in Kenya right now, too, through Veritas, called Naomi’s Village that will house over 120 children upon completion. If I could, I would get involved in everything I could find, but I am worn out enough with what we are doing. I just hope that the people that we (Veritas) engage and build community with will see our hearts and vision and it will inspire them to act where they feel led.”

How Ty first got involved in social justice?
Here’s his story:

“My parents have been working in Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Mexico for over 13 years serving in refugee camps, orphanages, handicapped schools, and the slums. I first left the country with my dad in 1995 for Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya. We spent time with street kids and handicapped kids singing, playing soccer, netball, dancing, you name it we did it. It was a heart wrenching joy that I never felt. When we entered Rwanda it had only been a year since 800,000 to 1,000,000 Rwandans were killed in the Genocide attempt. It was my first encounter with child soldiers; I didn’t know what to do or how to react. Every border stop I had 10-12 year old children checking my passport with machine guns. My heart was non-existent, I had no beat left; it literally crushed my spirit.

“There was one particular orphanage that we spent time in. There were I believe 200 or so kids who had all witnessed the murder of their parents in a church service. After the Hutu rebels murdered the parents they locked these children in the church with the bodies, it was a week before anyone found them and let them out. I have never seen a completely hopeless, full of sorrow child before in my entire life. Kids I know smile and laugh even when they are down. Later that day I wept in my father’s arms in a way I never thought I could weep. When we left that orphanage, there were smiles and tears of joy on every child’s face. Our touch, our smiles, our love that we shared with these children was so real it gave them hope. I see those faces, both sides of them all the time. It pushes me, inspires me, and sanctifies me to build hope, to raise awareness and to engage culture through my creative abilities so that I can influence those to feel, and observe the emotions and cultures that I have experienced.”

That’s the stuff I love running across in doing this blog. Thanks to Ty for being so willing to share. I’m hoping his story inspires you to use your own creative abilities to make a difference. Check out more of his work below, and click on any of the links listed to find out more about Ty or the organizations he works with.

Other places to find Ty and Veritas:
Samo4Prez
MySpace
Veritas
Samo4Prez on WordPress
Veritas on WordPress
Samo4Prez on Twitter
Veritas on Twitter