895 Missing a Piece and 896 Margarita

895 Missing a Piece  (This painting has sold)

896 Margarita, acrylic on 6 x 8" museum hardbord

I enjoyed painting this still life so much that I painted it twice.  Limes last a long time, unlike flowers.  Both are headed to Edgewood Orchard Gallery in Door County this Spring.

888. Now More Than Ever

This little girl captured my attention (and my heart) because she looks so familiar.  She looks just like I did as a child!  I wish I could locate the photo to prove it to you.  The point is this:  this little girl and the other Palestinian and Syrian refugees could be your child or grandchild or mine,  and the children deserve more than their current living conditions and fate.

In my opinion, the refugee situation in Palestine is not going to be improving any time soon.   More and more families are left homeless because of the occupation and the recent decision to move the American Embassy to Jerusalem.  Important funds have been cut by the United States that were earmarked for the Palestinians, who are living in occupation.   Organizations that provide aid, such as ANERA (American Near East Refugee Aid, Washington, D.C.) are even more important to the refugees now during these times.

ANERA and its partners are determined to give some semblance of dignity to the refugees, as well as crucial medical assistance, improved water systems, education, distribution of important goods, etc.
In December 2017 alone, ANERA distributed 96,000 pairs of Tom's shoes to Palestinian and Syrian children in the Beddawi camp and in informal tented settlements of Lebanon.

Here are a few more facts about ANERA's 2017 statistics:
-ANERA distributed 50 - 40 foot containers of donated medicines;
-100,000 Palestinians were connected to reliable water sources;
-With ANERA's assistance, 8, 658 children returned to school in Lebanon alone;
-22 schools in Gaza and the West Bank were renovated
-94% of ANERA's revenue was spent on programs in Palestine and Lebanon.

The time to step up is now to provide assistance to these organizations.  I hope you will consider making a donation to ANERA in honor of The Innocents Project, my independent effort to raise awareness and funds for these precious children.  Please learn all about the services they lovingly provide at https://www.anera.org/   Thank you for your consideration.

"888  Now More Than Ever"
acrylic - 12x12 in

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/888--now-more-than-ever/647022

844 Will You Be My Valentine?

A very wise woman,  my mentor, always said it was the kiss of death to fall in love with your painting.  (It really was a tough lesson to learn.)   But she never said I shouldn't fall in love with my subject.  This little angel stole my heart at first glance.

Her name is Safaa.  I don't always know the child's name when I paint the refugees ANERA serves, and the more information I have about each child, the more intimate the painting experience.  I don't know anything about her, other than she is probably Palestinian or Syrian living in Lebanon, Palestine or Jordan, so I just imagine what her life is like, and what it could be when I am painting her.   She probably lives in a makeshift refugee camp where heat is nonexistent.  If she is lucky, ANERA provides her with a preschool to attend, and warm boots provided by Toms, and emergency lights. Hopefully she has the medical supplies she needs and clean water, all provided by ANERA.

ANERA (American Near East Refugee Aid) is a non-political non-profit headquartered in Washington, D.C.  They are committed to providing not only aid to families in the Middle East, but to giving them as much dignity as possible.  These ANERA folks are angels too.

If you are so moved, please consider making a donation to ANERA at www.anera.org.

"844 Will You Be My Valentine?"
acrylic - 12x12 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/844-will-you-be-my-valentine/561749