I was going to send this to you as a Facebook post, but then I realized I might actually be able to start our blog, FINALLY, with this simple question. So, here is the beginning (or totally thick middle): Would it be okay if I used your children’s likenesses in a painting I am doing? I am using my own girls (Afina and Luvena), but would also like some boys, specifically E-Niner and T-Bone. I have been working on a series of “Disclaimer Paintings” that basically deal with non-typical childhood, parenthood, and physical and mental health issues (though it could also be percieved as adults who are brought back to their childhood due to their own human weaknesses and health issues.) These sound like heavy issues, but they are covered by prettiness, sweetness, and oddness. I won’t go into too much further description, though I am sure I will eventuallly give myslef away here, anyway. I will show you them. The piece I want to include E-Niner and T-Bone in will simply be entitled “Raising Our Children.” The title sounds cheezy, I know, but the visual imagery disconnects from the title in a way that hopefully makes it not so. You know my style; not photo-realistic at all, illustrative, odd, and unfortunately slightly surrealistic. All four of our children will be balanced on top of a stack of patterned baby animals. That’s about it. Not actually THAT deep, but pretty and odd. (Have I used the word “odd” enough yet?) Oh, and their heads will be big and bulbus. Is “bulbous” a word? Oh, and I like that there will be a mix of races and ethnicities that will naturally occur due to the diversity of our children. So good. But, let me know what you think, whether it is okay or not. I also thought about doing a painting just about E-niner.
I will post the paintings on my upcoming website (which already exists but has nothing on it.) I want to make a limited edition (of each painting) of 40 Giclee prints and sell them on the website. Because of my own daughters’ health concerns, I would like to donate %15 or more of the proceeds from the prints that concern gastrointestinal issues, Celiac disease, Eosinophiloic Esophagitis, food allergies, asthma, and other childhood autoimmune diseases to some organization that funds research on childhood autoimmune diseases. Because of the bulbous heads and uncertainty, many of the pieces also concern mental health issues. This is an issue that is relevant to me due to our extensive talks, my adoration for E-niner, and Afina’s OCD. I could include E-Niner in some pieces and possibly donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of THOSE prints to an organization that donates money to families that need respite care for their children with mental illness. We could also start an organization to raise money specifically for E-Niner to be used in whatever way you see fit. Once there at least begins to be enough money for him, the organization could grow to help parents who may be overwhelmed by medical costs and by the physical, emotional, and spiritual demands of raising a child with mental illness in a climate that often does not respect or understand childhood mental illness. Maybe I am getting carried away here, ha ha ha ha! I am selling my art pieces and prints, so children might as well benefit them; “Twice Exceptional” children, such as ours.
I haven’t written to you because I haven’t known where to start, since other people may or may not actually read this. I am tired now. My children have been flying around me hysterically while I try to write this, so I am just going to “publish” it now. I hope it is a decent beginning. 🙂
Katrina and Christina 
GREAT beginning! I’m in. But you know that. We already talked about it on the phone.