FEED THE CHILDREN ART AUCTION TO ALLEVIATE HUNGER 89% TO GOAL

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For those who made it to the launch of the Art Auction to Alleviate Hunger, benefitting Feed the Children, for those who have supported the effort ad spread the word, and for those who are just interested, this is an update. Visiting the Better World auction site for the first time since Saturday was a true pleasure!

Oh what a spirited bidding joust Heidi Asundi, author of Split and Crushed Flowers and Lis Mcloughlin, founder of NatureCulture (on YouTube) and Writing the Land, are having for Slakes with Sol’s Sustenance, an eco-friendly painting by JC Wayne. I’ll have to do a reveal on this one when the auction ends. 

And Lis isn’t putting all her eggs in one basket either, which she seldom does if her many "do-good" ventures are any indication. She’s got her eye on another JC Wayne piece Chocolate velvet drapes the soul to sleep in peace, and is going head-to-head with Heather Swick. You have to hand it to both Lis and Heather.

If you attended the auction launch, have seen the replay of it, or visited the online auction site you know that Heather is the artist from Sydney, Australia whose Tears of Hunger seems destined to be gracing Chip Williford’s wall before Christmas. In the chat at the launch he wrote about Heather's piece, "...Can’t wait to hang it on my wall."

Chip (co-host of Poetry Street on the Road and founder of Chip Williford Productions) has outbid poet Patti Ross, founder of the EC Poetry & Prose Company- a collective of poets, and leads the bidding for Tears... I feel ya Chip. You’ve had plenty pf reason for tears this year, even if they weren’t born of physical hunger.

The Asundis seem determined to feed some children- besides their own beautiful two that is- and hang some new art on their wall this holiday season. They’ve bid on four pieces, that's right FOUR, and lead the bidding on all four! 

Krishna Asundi’s bid leads the way on Devas de los Hambrientos, another Wayne Piece, but I’m wondering if Elle Dooley, the artist who created Winds of Harvest, is willing to up the ante, or if someone else will join the fray for Devas…?

André Taylor, who many in the poetry world know as Brenardo, a poet whose lyrical verses and potent messages are like bubbly at New Years to me, seems destined to corral Doze Y. Butler’s QUITCH: QUIlting To Combat Hunger. The title is a poem in and of itself and this piece of art is really 12 pieces of art.  

And I have to send a shout-out to Angela Dale, a picture-book author and poet, for posting leading bids on two pieces: Starving Night by Skyler Dagucon and Starvation is not food insecurity by guess who? Yup, JC Wayne. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Elle pull an eBay move on Starving Night as we get closer to final bids. Right Elle (wink)?

I’d like to tell you about the bidding on every single piece and might just have it in me to do that after the auction, but I just wanted to give you a flavor of what’s happening with it now, 9 days before the auction closes. We’re truly grateful to all who have participated in the bidding, but we can’t forget those who aren’t bidding, but donated to Feed the Children through the link we provided:

James Bryant (SpoFest Open Mic and OIC Studios founder), who did a pre-auction launch interview with Hiram and me, and will be doing another on Saturday the 10th at 1pm CST. And I hear his favorite feline, Ms. Banshee, also donated, but that hasn’t appeared on the books yet. Maybe Feed the Children doesn’t accept kitty snackies?

Elaine Weiner Reed- One of our artists who donated her time, talent and material to create Waiting for the auction and also chipped in $$.

Chip Williford, whom I have already mentioned above but who is also so generous that he donated in addition to bidding.

Darrell Parry, Editor of Stick Figure Poetry Quarterly, author of Twist: Gathered Ephemera, and shepherd of Lehigh Valley Poetry with E. Lynn Alexander of Collapse Press and The Friday Collapse.

Greg Bell, one heck of a poet, orator, and most important, generous human being who gives tons of his time and energy and $$ to all sorts of good causes. One of Greg's mottos is, "A good planet is hard to find."

Jane Pottmeyer, of Ahimsa Yoga, whom I haven't met yet but suspect she's one awesome Yoga teacher.

Mary Dezember, author of poetry and fiction (and so much more) whose novel Wild Conviction should be coming out soon on Brilliant Moon Press. I’m hoping she revives Creatives in Conversation in 2023 because that's where I met the incredible musical duo of Bébé La La. More on them in an upcoming post.

Ann Bracken, the poet whose poem American Madonna inspired Barbara Ezell’s auction piece American Madonna- Land of Plenty.

Randy Weber, who has two pieces on offer for bidding, Abandoned Playground, Claunch, NM inspired by Lisa Reynold’s poem I’m Hungry, and Dish Calling Cosmos inspired by Brian Tawanda Manyati’s Imma be cool crooning alway, which I did my best to do justice to at the launch. 

Diane Wilbon Parks, whose artwork permeates all thing Poetry X Hunger, whose poetry punches you in the gut (sorry about the video snafu to begin the auction Diane), and who is an integral member of  Voices of Woodlawn, a poetic ensemble including Sylvia Dianne "Lady Di" Beverly, Patrick Washington, Hiram Larew, and Cliff Bernier on Harmonica.

There may be additional donations that haven’t been credited to the Poetry X Hunger initiative just yet, but the above is what we’ve got thus far. Speaking of all of the above, they are responsible for the Art Auction to Alleviate Hunger reaching 89% of its goal four days into the campaign! A HUGE THANK you on behalf of all who will stave off hunger for at least a bit as a result of your generous spirits. Until next...T. A.