Hello hello!
It's time for the Gift From the Universe Project! This is phase 1, gathering sponsorship.
*potential images that will be offered this year
The short description of the project:
In response to the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale chaos, I like to offer something a different. A opportunity to send love, in the form of art, at no cost, anonymously.
Three or four art prints will be available for people to choose from, and with sponsorship, the art and shipping (in the US) is free. My goal each year is to be able to send 100. I like to have many printed before the project goes live to make shipping a bit more efficient.
I gather as much sponsorship as possible ahead of time to be able to cover base material cost to know how many prints will be guaranteed. While the project is running, people have an opportunity to cover the shipping cost, material cost or full retail cost of the print.
It’s a big group project! Everyone has an opportunity to participate in some way - simply sending a print is one of the most important aspects.
Longer explanation: (and read even more from last year's post)
The project started as a flash of an idea - an experiment and exploration - of what it would be like to give, and get, an anonymous free piece of art. Each year I’ve done this, it has evolved a bit more, but the core principles are the same.
What is it like to send a gift to someone you care about, someone who will not know who sent it? What would it feel like to not receive credit, a response, a thank you or even just the knowledge that the gift received was from you?
(Also, if the recipient does know, that’s okay.)
In the season of often excessive gift giving, what is it like to give a gift that wasn’t purchased? The value of the gift isn’t the money that was spent, but the energy, the love, the thought and attention. How can we remove the monetary value from a loving gift? How can we separate the energy of “this present is from me” (which is also totally fine), but as an experiment, what is that like? What does it feel like?
My job is a conduit - to transmit that energy from point a to point b, through art and words.
Each print comes with a card that says: “You have been anonymously gifted this artwork so that when you see it you will be reminded that you are loved beyond words”.
What is it like to receive love from an anonymous source, no need to thank someone or respond or act appropriately (whatever that would mean). To put a piece of art on the wall or the fridge and to be reminded that someone wanted you to know that you were loved. To just be held in love with no strings attached. No expectations or reciprocation needed.
For some people, it can be really hard to receive, to just sit and accept without the immediate need to give back. For some people the idea of giving is a way to prove something or be a particular way (thoughtful, appropriate, giving, etc).
None of this negates giving gifts in any way you would like. But it is an experiment in something drastically different.
Does it matter if the person figures out it is you? No.
Does it matter if they’ve gotten something from this project before? No.
Can this even be given as an act of self love, a reminder to yourself that you are loved? Yes!
If you love this idea but feel a little confused or stumped as to who to send one to, you are in good company. This isn’t a “normal” holiday season gift giving type of thing and when facing a new idea your mind may not know quite where to land.
Here are some examples of who might enjoy receiving one:
A friend who is always the giver, overachiever and forgets to take care of themselves
A friend who was recently diagnosed with cancer
A family member barely keeping it together as a single parent
A family member that just lost their job
A relative stranger you’ve witness being kind to all their customers.
A friend you love but know will feel pressured to reciprocate and can’t afford it
Literally any friend or family member that might enjoy some art and some extra love
Maybe that person is yourself!
We all benefit when we all feel more loved. This is a community care project. It separates money and love and allows love to flow freely.
AND - materials have cost and some people have more money to contribute to the project. In some years, I have fully funded the project. Energetically and financially that isn’t aligned for me anymore and now I have sponsors that love the project and want to help cover the costs.
There are a few options -
1. Simply donate any amount of money - from $3 to $1111.
2. Participate in the project and cover shipping.
3. Participate in the project and add a donation amount
4. Participate in the project and pay for the full retail cost of the print
Participation won’t be open until later in the month. It normally starts on Black Friday (the Friday after Thanksgiving) The amount of prints available will depend on the amount of sponsorship money received. My goal is to receive between $1000 and $2000 to cover 100 prints. This is covers cost of materials, wholesale cost of the prints, shipping material cost as well as shipping cost (within the US)
If you know someone that would love to sponsor this project, please share!
