One of my fellow Pittsburgh bloggers told me about this awesome group on Facebook called the Art Ambush Project. This group consists of a collection of artists who strive to make the world a better place through the gift of art. The way the project works is people like you and me nominate others to receive a gift of art. The nomination process includes telling a little about the nominee, their story, their sorrows, their joys, and talking about why you think they deserve this gift. If the nomination is accepted, it gets assigned to an artist in the group, and then the artist has the freedom to create the perfect gift.
I chose to nominate my brother and his partner. They are two of the most incredible people I know. While they are quite different from each other in personality and style, they complement each other and create a perfect team. Nearly two years ago now, my brother Dennis became a nurse practitioner, and Paul is an artist. They recently bought a house as well. I wanted to show them how proud I am, not only for all their accomplishments, but simply for who they are as people. So, this nomination was my way of showing my love and admiration.
When I contacted the group, a funny thing happened. I began talking to one of the founders, Lisa. When I explained in depth who the nomination was for, she shared with me that she was familiar with Paul as an artist, because they live in the same state. She said being asked to create work for him was like telling someone to send their crayon drawing to Picasso. I thought that was such a cool "what a small world" moment!
Lisa kept me updated on the process, and the beautiful work she and her mom were creating. Finally, the big day arrived, and the package was delivered. It included a beautiful mosaic created by Lisa. It was a yin yang, the perfect symbol for Dennis and Paul. Lisa's mother also made them some beautiful soaps in the shape of yin yang. The guys absolutely loved their art ambush!
 |
| Photo courtesy of Paul Richmond |
