"Heroes on the Line"
Original Acrylic Painting by Lianne Westcot
6"x18" canvas in a solid oak float frame
Market Value: $235 
Deadline: EXTENDED November 27, 2020
Email: art@liannewestcot.com
 
This original painting will be a GIFT to a generous person! The recipient will be determined by the highest "silent bid" to a GoFundMe to help feed local families:
Mobile Soup Kitchen Project GoFundMe Page

The Story
As you may know a derecho (high wind storm) blew through Iowa in August, affecting a large part of the state. Power lines went down, trees fell, homes were damaged, and businesses temporarily closed. Many people were left with no electricity, spoiled food, etc. At that time two things intersected for me: I helped clean up yards in Cedar Rapids, and, I met a family cooking free meals under a bridge for their neighbors who were in need.

One day I was helping clean yards and when we arrived, the neighborhood street was LINED with white bucket trucks. We were working in a backyard where linemen in orange shirts (our work team also wore orange) were busy restoring power to all those homes. They were heroes to those people getting power back! As they were working behind the home nearby, I took photos with my phone and later painted my vision of the scene.

Back to the family cooking meals under the bridge, while the weather was in the 90s, I stopped by a few times with ice for their coolers As the days went on I was amazed at how committed they were to serving their neighborhood, not for just a few days but every day since shortly after the storm. Others came alongside them with donations & food. 

The spirit of people helping each other, heroes of many kinds, and the appreciation for each other, all came together to inspire this idea to donate the painting to help these meals continue. Here's how it works.

How to Participate
I am conducting this similar to a "sealed bid" process, but with a twist. The recipient will be the person willing to make the highest donation directly to the GoFundMe page. The deadline for "bids" is November 27, 2020. The painting will be a GIFT to that person after their donation is verified. Anyone who is not the "winner" isn't obligated to give a donation, but welcome to give any amount they wish. 
If you'd like to participate, please e-mail me with the following information:
*Amount you would like to donate
*First & Last Name
*Phone
*Address
*Email
*How you heard about this project
​Email me here -- watch your email for a confirmation. (If you don't receive a confirmation, please reach out before 11/20 at my contact page.)

Important notes: 
- Your information will be confidential.
- I will work with the recipient to verify the donation.
- Tax deduction: I believe any amount over market value may be deducted, but please get advice from a professional. 
- I can arrange delivery. If shipping is required, the recipient will cover the cost.
- Artist retains all rights to reproduction of the original painting.


Learn more about the Mobile Soup Kitchen
- Follow Bridge Under the Bridge on Facebook
- This video explains how they got started.
- Trunk or Treat under the bridge
- Mobile Soup Kitchen GoFundMe is here.

Here are links to a few painting projects for kids--or adults!

Easier & fun

Takes more patience

Watercolor techniques 

More Watercolor techniques

General Painting Tips

• Keep moving forward, don't over-work.
• To over-work and over-blend can produce less interesting colors & outcomes
• Gather materials before starting if you need to keep paint wet​

Materials
Acrylic

• Gather up any acrylic paint and brushes you have.
• Use heavier paper or a canvas
• Thin paint, shake well. Thick paint, test to see which tubes are still good.

If you don't have the right paper, try this:

• Tape your paper down on cardboard or...
• Paint white paint up to the tape (thin if needed)
• Let dry thoroughly
• This will make your paper stronger

Watercolor

• Use any materials you have
• grade school watercolors are fine
• To keep colors strong don't overmix with water 

Paper:

• Printer paper does not work as well.
• Use a cover stock or thicker paper
• Try different types of paper you have
• If all else fails, play with absorbing colors onto paper towels