Art For a Cause 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

We had was a beautiful night at the LGBTQ Center of Orange County’s Indigo Ball “Out to Empower”! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ Generosity, community, celebration, calls for action—and our very own rainbow!! 🌈 

I wanted to give more to the cause that I could afford to bid in the auction, so I donated a commissioned watercolor — and it sold well! 

I couldn’t wait to meet the buyers and learn what they’d like me to paint for them. It turns out they were two amazing women who wanted to decorate a room for their child-to-be — and they wanted to see their five pets and a bit of fairy-tale imagination. Perfect for this magic-believing, animal-loving children’s book illustrator!

My favorite part was learning about their pets’ personalities. I love that I got to paint their ginger cat as a mischievous dragon!

I had to wait a bit to give the family their painting since they were traveling, but I finally got to see their joy at receiving it, and it meant everything. It was a triple gift — they gave to an important cause, I gave them a painting, and they gave me the wonderful satisfaction of seeing my art bring joy to others!

I’ll do it again next year — can’t wait!

❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜

P.S. I also had a chance at the ball to help speak out against hate with the @NOH8Campaign! (A bit out of their white-tee norm, since we were at the formal ball! 😄 🪩🎩✨)

… Please, world. Now. Please. Equality, inclusion, rights, respect, listening, appreciation of diversity. Kindness. Humanity. PLEASE.  #NOH8 …

P.P.S. Contact me if you’re interested in your own commissioned painting, or if you want to talk to me about supporting LGBTQ rights! ❤️