The HeART & Soul fundraising sessions are now complete! What a wonderful group of dogs to photograph and such great dog parents! Thirty-nine dogs posed for pictures raising $1560 for art supplies for the teens of the Vision & Voice program! ​

The program was started by Joan Zephier. She was the recipient of the 2016 Mayor's Award for Individual Excellence in Visual Arts for her work with area high school students by inspiring them to create pieces of art that express their own depiction of what addiction and recovery means to them. Using art as an outlet, they are gradually able to look at life in a different light and are able to deal with everyday living more effectively. The Vision & Voice program now includes the art of original poetry, and expresses many forms of mental health issues dealt with by today's teens. 

Joan's philosophy is that every single person has a story, and every single person has an artist spirit. Our unique story told in a visual way has the ability to connect with someone else in ways that our words cannot. (Sioux Falls Arts Council)​

I met with Joan last week to deliver a check for the money raised and she graciously answered a few questions so that I could share a bit more about the program with you.

I can't really tell you about how Vision & Voice started without including the Recovery Art Show. When RAS started in 2013, Volunteers of America had included art from their adolescent unit to fill a wall.  All these 8" by 10" random paintings, then included one artist statement  for all. In 2014, we were on the stage at the Washington Pavillion for opening night. That show was hugely attended and received a ton of press, including a huge write up in the Argus. The thing that I felt was missing from the show was the stories of the kids. Kids that probably weren't using to the point of addiction yet, but were growing up in homes where someone was. Kids like my own daughters who were around me, witnessing both my spiral down and climb back out.

In the winter of 2015, Janell Mills called me to come speak to her 211 class at Joe Foss, as I had done for the last few years. I would tell my story of addiction and recovery. After meeting with her students that time, the idea just came to me. I knew that if I just sent a call for art to the school, I would never get a thing. Most of those kids were kids at risk, which was why they were in that school to begin with. Kids like I was (I quit school my junior year and was kicked out by my parents, but that is another story for a different time). So I came back to the campus and asked my then boss, Dennis Ford, if I could buy some supplies and go work with Janell's students to tell their stories of addiction and recovery with art. He agreed and Tallgrass sponsored $500 to get the art supplies.

I sent an email asking Janell if I could come in and work with some of the kids, then take their pieces to the Recover Art Show that fall. She emailed me back in 10 min with a YES! That was the beginning of the Joe Foss Project.

The project has grown and changed a bit since starting out. I guess the mission was to assist the students to tell their stories. It no longer focuses solely on addiction and recovery, but encompasses everything and anything a teenager can go through. Eating disorders, abuse, rape, anxiety, you name it, someone has created a painting about it. I had high hopes of being part of all the high schools in Sioux Falls, and for a year I was at Roosevelt and a short time at Washington as well. Ultimately, I had gotten a new boss who wasn't real big on me being away from the campus that much so for a year I just took vacation and went to Joe Foss (Axtell Park) for a week in the fall and in the spring. We had a big show in the spring for the community in various spots down town, and one for their school at the end of each week. I think it was in 2017 that Janell wanted to see the program grow to include poetry and music. The Voice part started with Kim Bartling working with students on the written word and creating a poetry jam. That was when we moved to the Orpheum theater down town for the end of the year show. ​

I honestly didn't know what to expect back when I started. I had zero idea how much those kids and their stories were going to affect me. It is the best and the hardest weeks of the year. Someone will always tell me some secret that will rip my heart out, and I will attempt to guide them in how to tell it in a visual way through art. The students are required to write an artist statement that explains their piece, and what it was they were hoping to get accomplished. Those statements hang next to the piece. It is empowering for the artist and so moving for the witnesses. I can only assume that it is the same for Kim when she works with them to perform their poetry. Then to witness their bravery going to the mic and saying the words, it hits like nothing I have ever been part of. ​

Something I didn't suspect would happen was that attendance would go up the weeks I was in the building. So much so that I was no longer able to handle the student load by myself. I have brought in various volunteers to help the last few years. Counselors, artists, teachers, art therapists, anyone who was interested in being part of it, I was willing to have help them. In a way, with its growth, it has taken away from the small group discussions and one on one that I loved so much. Growing pains.

The 2021-2022 show will likely be at the Orpheum, they have the space and the stage. If that is not available, we will figure something out. I think the greatest thing the community can do to support is show up for the show. So much has changed since covid and we are still waiting to hear how that will have long term effects on the program. So, stay tuned!

What Joan has done for these students of Sioux Falls is something that will impact them in ways that even they will not realize until looking back at their own story one day. Thank you, Joan for all that you do for our kids and our community.

Like Joan said, you are invited to show support for Vision and Voice by attending the show when it opens to the public. Monetary donations as well as art supplies are also appreciated for the program. If you're interested in being part of the art week, please reach out to Joan or Janell. 

To be on the exclusive invite list and receive advanced notice of Pawsitivity fundraiser sessions just go to the home page, scroll to the bottom, and you can sign up there. By doing so, you'll also receive a series of emails pertaining to classic sessions with me, but you can always unsubscribe if that's not something that you're interested in learning more about at this time.

More images from this fundraiser can be seen in the Pawsitivity Gallery. ​

It's time for this year's Pawsitivity fundraiser sessions! The goal of these mini fundraisers is to raise money (and awareness) for charities and causes in our community.

Having worked with The Banquet for 20 years and being a part of 100 Women Who Care, I know all too well that there are many organizations that the public isn't aware of. The larger non-profits who have the money for advertising are all too often the first to benefit from a fundraiser simply because the public isn't aware there are other organizations who are also in need of support. So, through these fundraiser sessions I hope to introduce you to a few new organizations and their causes.

Those who participated last year in the World At Your Feet sessions, made the event a huge success raising $1000 to purchase new shoes for the kids supported by Children's Inn and Mission Haiti.

This year we'll be supporting the arts through Vision & Voice.  Joan Zephier was the recipient of the 2016 Mayor's Award for Individual Excellence in Visual Arts for her work with area high school students by inspiring them to create pieces of art that express their own depiction of what addiction and recovery means to them. Using art as an outlet, they are gradually able to look at life in a different light and are able to deal with everyday living more effectively with the realization that life is possible. The Vision & Voice program now includes the art of original poetry, and expresses many forms of mental health issues dealt with by today's teens. 

Joan's philosophy is that every single person has a story, and every single person has an artist spirit. Our unique story told in a visual way has the ability to connect with someone else in ways that our words cannot. (Sioux Falls Arts Council)

* If you'd like more information about the Vision and Voice program  Joan is happy to connect with you.

HeArt & Soul is what I'm calling this year's Pawsitivity fundraising event. The resulting images will depict your pet in an artistic fashion. There will be a limited number of sessions available and registration begins on Thursday Feb 18th. Watch the Facebook page for more information!

We had so much fun during the first event. I hope you and your furry friend will consider joining us this year!

I am so thrilled to finally share this post with you guys!

Thank you to all who supported this fundraiser by scheduling a session! If you take COVID-19 out of the equation, it was a huge success! (That's three sentences with three exclamation marks. Can you tell I'm excited?)

The idea is to raise money for non-profits (who might not be on everyone's radar) through Pawsitivity Sessions. The money is raised through participants who pay a donation/fee to participate with their dog in the fundraiser photography session.

For this first fundraiser, the goal was to raise money to be given to Children's Inn and Mission Haiti to buy new shoes for the kids supported by their non-profits. And, with your help we did that!!! You guys helped put $1000 worth of shoes on kids' feet!

The World At Your Feet fundraiser was the first of the Pawsitivity campaigns. Each year there will be something different planned with different non-profits benefiting. I have a list of ideas and I'm very excited about each of them. If time allows for a second fundraiser during the year then I might just do another World At Your Feet themed session as so many have asked when they can sign up for the next one. (Thank you for that; it makes my heart happy.)

Here are a few images from the sessions. I so enjoyed meeting so many of you and learning about the non-profits you volunteer and work for. Of course the bonus was I got to meet so many new dogs, too. ;O)

If you'd like to see more from these sessions take a look at the Pawsitivity Gallery. 

To be on the exclusive invite list and receive advanced notice of Pawsitivity fundraiser sessions just go to the home page, scroll to the bottom, and you can sign up there. By doing so, you'll also receive a series of emails pertaining to classic sessions with me, but you can always unsubscribe at any time if that's not something that you're interested in at this time.

I've started an ongoing project that I've been wanting to put into action for years. Why didn't I do it sooner? Looking back, I think it was the scary details. Aside from photographing dogs, everything about this project would have been brand new to me.

I have been hard at work for several months now planning all the details (the fun creative ones and the not so fun business ones) and Pawsitivity fundraising sessions are now a reality!

These sessions will happen once or twice a year and the goal is to raise money for charities. They'll each have a theme and the sessions will be short and sweet. They'll be a little different from my normal sessions as we'll be photographing inside and the images will have a minimalistic feel.

The first of the Pawsitivity sessions is called World At Your Feet and will take place in March. I'm so excited about this session! The images will focus on your dog and a bit of your own personality, too... your shoes! We'll be raising money to buy new shoes for the kids of Children's Inn and those supported by Mission Haiti. 

If you'd like to know more about the fundraiser sessions you'll find all the details here!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend! Spring is right around the corner! ;O)

This post is part of the 52 weeks blog circle so take a look at what other's have to say about "details" starting with Jackie Petersen Pet Photography, serving pet lovers in Northern Utah.