365/2013 - Day 215

exciting new art acquisition!

photo collage by Justicia Barreiros

Last night I made a donation to the Meg Perry Center (in Portland, Maine) in hopes of getting first choice on one of the twelve incredible collaborative paintings that were created during the "Hidden Ladder Lock-In" fundraiser.  And YAY -- I was able to get my first choice!

Let me say that I don't know a whole lot about the Meg Perry Center -- or any of the various groups --  but I do know that my friend William Hessian is mightily involved there and was a part of the collaboration(s), so the fundraiser intrigued me...and hey...a chance at acquiring a new piece of art.

From the Meg Perry Center's website:
For 6 years, the Meg Perry Center has been a hub of activity: it has been the home of Peace Action Maine, the Fur Cultural Revival, ASERELA, the Green Party, the Southern Maine Workers Center and many more. The Portland Food Coop, Centro Latino, and Local Sprouts Cooperative all began at the MPC before moving to larger spaces.

The MPC is:

• an all ages space
• has a free radical lending library
• allows social movement building
• has monthly art exhibits
• weekly music and NEW movie nights & discussion
• meeting space and affordable rental space

Perhaps, most importantly, the Meg Perry Center celebrates the life and work of Meg Perry, a Portland activist who died tragically in an accident while doing hurricane relief work after Hurricane Katrina.  The people's history of our city should be valued and celebrated and that is our shared responsibility. We feel that it is crucial that laughter, creative resistance, and grassroots organizing and humanitarian aid work continue in Portland to create the world we want to live in, and having Meg Perry at the center of our work deeply matters.

So -- here are some other photos taken during the fundraiser, which ran yesterday from 7am - 7pm.  A collaborative painting was made during each hour of the fundraiser.  You can find videos and more photos and info at the Meg Perry Center Facebook page.   

Here are a few photos I swiped (with permission from William...I am not sure who gets credited for them).

"My" collaborative panel in process

This one would have been my second choice (in process).

My second choice completed -- wow!

The Lock-In fundraiser looks like it was so much fun and art and music and sharing and colors and enthusiasm and FUN.  

You can still make a donation to the Meg Perry Center on their website...check the link at the top of this blog post.

My panel will be on display for the rest of the month -- I can't wait to get it!