Giving is the Best Revenge!

"Spontaneous Fan Club, L5P" Beth Lilly

Standing in the light drizzle and cold in the pre-Halloween Parade scene of Little 5 Points and giving Atlantans free art was an experience not to be forgotten. I didn't know what to expect. When Beth Lilly, the creator of "Gifted" approached me about this project I was a little baffled but intrigued by the idea. My mind said " Give away my work! That's crazy." but my heart said why not. Wasn't part of my "ART" (whatever that is) just to let others see what I see? A way to communicate something I have few words for? What better way to do this than to give the work to whomever would take it.

Lucky for me, I was curated into the "Gifted" project and got to put this feeling into action. The wonder on the children's faces as Beth and I gave them something mysterious was magic. A homeless man, Jonathan, happened by. He was missing his left eye and many of his teeth. I had to coax him to come closer. When I offered him a photo he said he wanted to send it to his Mother. He told me people often made fun of him because he had trouble speaking clearly with all of his front teeth missing.

We got mobbed about that time and Jonathan drifted away without choosing a photograph. A few minutes later, he came back and selected a beautiful, and peaceful image by Diane Kirkland to give to his Mother.

Suddenly it was no longer wet or cold. It was a beautiful thing.