From the ages of 2 - 18, I grew up in Panama, an incredibly beautiful country with wonderful people. I attended Five Stars Academy, which was a school my mom started with two other women. One of these women was also the principal of FSA: Marie Claire (MC) Beauvil.
MC is an incredible person. On top of running the school and keeping us children in check, she started JLM Christian Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping struggling Panamanians. A lot of my childhood was spent going on service trips with JLM to the mountains of Panama, helping out with building extra rooms for families of seven living in two room houses, putting together 'summer camp' type programs for Panamanian children, and distributing food and other goods to those who needed it most.
Through JLM, MC has accomplished many amazing things. Her Houses of Hope housed both boys and girls, and sent the hardest workers to college. She has successfully created a network of people willing to help, and donate money to her foundation, so that she can continue with her mission.
I haven't been back to Panama since December of 2023. I was working this summer, and I didn't have a large enough chunk of time to justify a flight home. I have been missing it a lot, and searching for some way to reconnect with it. On September 14, 2024, the idea came to me: Painting for Panama, an art collection and charity exhibition/sale to raise money for this incredible foundation, so that MC can continue with her mission.
There is a noticeable lack of knowledge or information on Panama here in Ann Arbor, and the University of Michigan. There is almost no representation (as most Panamanians don't dare venture this far north into the cold). Though I am not Panamanian myself, this fact still bugs me. I realized about a week ago that if anyone was going to offer up information and knowledge, why shouldn't it be me? And why shouldn't I use my love for Panama to do something good for the country, and pay it back for the life it gave me growing up?
The idea is to create an extensive collection of paintings and artwork throughout this school year, and put on a solo exhibition and art sale in late April or early May, to not only share my love for Panama, but to raise money for JLM. Throughout the year, in addition to painting, I am going to be planning the reception: researching and applying for grants, scouting potential venues, marketing, and otherwise putting in the foundational work to ensure that the exhibition goes well, and the paintings get sold.
This section of my website, along with my blog, will be dedicated to highlighting this project. I will be posting frequent updates with new information, art and content. If you would like to follow along on this journey, learn more about Panama or JLM, and see my new artwork, subscribe to my mailing list, and follow @paintingforpanama on Instagram. Thank you.
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