Notes To A New Moon

Notes To A New Moon

Today is October 5th 2005

wow, I can't keep up these days! I am trying to paint my ass off, and prepare the new studio for the upcoming Open Studio Events...Oh my! BAD! kitty is going to open for the first time, and my three years of effort and my little dream will start to come true. So... I am painting, and repainting the walls, sprucing up the Place and lighting...blah, blah you know. It's really fun though to feel even a little bit like myself. When the Hurricane (s) hit, I lost my oomph...But I got the old heartlight a going now, so watch out Universe, I'm on the trail again.
Just can't wait to get on the road again...lalala...
So the path is fraught with twists and turns, and I forgot for a little while that I can't control any of it. I can only contain this little quantum...My life and me. Not my kids, not my mate, not freaking society (shhesshh) and certainly not the battle between good and evil. But I can react in ways that empower me instead of draining me dry. Again with the reality crap...OK Universe, I get it...I farking get it all ready! I gave myself permission to move on and do everything I can to help others, be the best I can be, and do the best I can with What I got...I can participate without losing myself.... So I woke up the other day and started painting again. Looks as if I have made another jump in what I am painting about, and I like the new groove. I have finished three paintings in the last 4 days...Working on a fourth brand new one, that is different than anything I have ever painted before...So that's cool too. It's Like WTF?! I didn't know I could do that!!!...or maybe it's that I didn't know that I couldn't do that...hhhmmmm...I am working on getting some pictures up. Well, I have to go to work to pay the bills, and I'll be listening to the soundtrack from Even CowGirls Get The Blues today....Sweet Little Char---oooo--kkkkeeeee...Sing it grrrrl!

Toots! A much Happier Heather

ALSO wanted to post the following info for any of you out there that need it here you go: THIS INFO FROM THE FUND FOR Women Artists Newsletter! info on how to contact them and all that good stuff at the bottom of post...

Resources for Displaced Artists, Arts Organizations & Others



THEATRE:



The Southeastern Theatre Conference has started a Theatrical Equipment Drive to replace equipment destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. If you have suffered a loss of equipment due to the hurricane or would like to donate equipment to those who have, visit the SETC website for more details: www.setc.org/resources/katrina.asp



The Actors' Fund of America (www.actorsfund.org) provides emergency assistance to professionals in the entertainment industry. If you are in need of emergency assistance due to Hurricane Katrina, please call The Actors’ Fund at 800.221.7303. Please identify where you are calling from and ask to have an intake worker paged. If you call and get the voicemail system, dial extension 119.



The Directors Guild Foundation (www.dga.org) is now offering immediate emergency assistance for DGA members affected by Hurricane Katrina. If you are a DGA member or a family member and require emergency assistance related to Hurricane Katrina, please call the DGA Foundation at 310 289-2037, or the toll-free number 800 421-4173 ext. 2037, or email laraine@dga.org and leave detailed contact information. A foundation representative will get in touch with you with information.



FILM/VIDEO:



Our friends at AIVF alerted us to the following: Equipment Emporium Inc, a company in the Los Angeles area that specializes in location audio gear for video & filmmaking, has offered to assist filmmakers who have suffered equipment loss or damage due to Hurricane Katrina. Many manufacturers are willing to support this endeavor, assisting with repair or replacement, at fees ranging from free to specially discounted. Equipment Emporium can help with paperwork, such as insurance quotes, replacement copies of our invoices, replacement values, and working with some of the manufacturers to arrange repair, replacement, or discounted services. Equipment Emporium Inc., (818) 838-4457, eqe@earthlink.net,

15235 Brand Blvd, Ste A-110, Mission Hills CA 91345, www.equipmentemporium.com/



Also, it was announced on the list serve of Shooting People (www.shootingpeople.org) that the Festival Application Site, Without a Box (www.withoutabox.com) is helping to raise money for a California Grip/Electric Company to take needed supplies and assistance to areas affected by the Hurricane.



For film students displaced in this disaster, StudentFilmmakers.com has published a comprehensive list of universities offering space for those that are unable to continue their academic path because of the disaster. To see which schools are offering film programs: www.studentfilmmakers.com/news/univhelp.shtml



VISUAL ARTS:



The Contemporary Arts Museum Houston Katrina Artists Trust (KAT), a grant-making trust to provide financial support for visual artists in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama who were affected by Hurricane Katrina. Artists at all stages of their career are equally eligible for assistance. www.camh.org/kat.html



The Pollock-Krasner Foundation is currently accepting emergency requests for grants to professional visual artists, which will be expedited under the foundation's guidelines. Artists are encouraged to contact the foundation for application materials, via phone (212) 517-5400, fax (212) 288-2836, or email at grants@pkf.org. In addition, applications may be downloaded from their web site at www.pkf.org.



MUSIC:



The New Orleans Musicians Clinic is relocating area artists affected by the hurricane to nearby Lafayette/Acadiana: wwoz.org/clinic/.



The Jazz Foundation of America is covering at least the first month’s rent for jazz and blues musicians and replacing lost instruments. www.jazzfoundation.org/new_orleans.php.



SHONOF (pronounced “sho’nuff”: Safe Harbor for Our New Orleans Friends), a project of NOAH, a new Houston/New Orleans musicians support project, will contact New Orleans musicians, wherever they are, and let them know there is a support group in Houston ready to help them, provide housing, get gigs, and the like. Contact Gigi Hill, (713) 503-3518, gigi@noahleans.org, www.noahleans.org.



Help for Gulf Coast orchestral musicians, including offers of housing, run by Drew McManus: www.artsjournal.com/adaptistration/archives/2005/09/louisiana_phil.html



A listing of many more programs around the country to support displaced musicians, compiled by flautist Laura Sue: www.silverNightingale.com/norlean2.html



POETRY:



The Southern Arts Federation (www.southarts.org) has an Emergency Relief Fund to assist the Gulf Coast states arts organizations and artists. It collects money and sends it to the state arts councils in the region who are distributing it to individual artists who have been displaced. The state arts councils, with the help of people in the arts communities, are compiling lists of artists who are in need. If you are interested in specifically helping poets who have been displaced, some of whom have lost both their jobs and homes, just indicate on your donation form to the Southern Arts Federation that you would like your gift to go to poets. http://www.southarts.org/download/EmergencyReliefFund.pdf



NONPROFIT TECHNOLOGY HELP:



IT Disaster Recovery - After the Fact (PDF) Created in the aftermath of the Hurricane Katrina tragedy, this comprehensive document provides advice on getting technology systems working again in small- and medium- sized nonprofits where business continuity plans were not sufficient or did not exist. Included in this report are instructions on hardware recovery, restoring Internet connections, dealing with lost passwords, working with borrowed technology, claiming insurance, and a host of other useful information for your organization's recovery efforts. www.techsoup.org/katrina/ITRecoveryManual_vI.pdf



Technology Service Providers (PDF) - The technology providers on this list are available to provide consulting services to nonprofits located in Hurricane Katrina-affected regions. This list was compiled using resources listed in TechFinder.org and through partner organization referrals. www.techsoup.org/katrina/technologyserviceproviders.pdf



STAYING IN TOUCH:



New Orleans Network : An online forum for people to connect with and support the New Orleans evacuees in their area, it will also be a way for New Orleans refugees to find each other in their exile communities and organize to take back their city and make sure that it is rebuilt in ways that serve ALL New Orleans residents. There will be exile community bulletin boards, discussion boards, resource listings, advocacy how-to sheets, events calendars, etc. They are seeking donations. www.NewOrleansNetwork.org





Ways You Can Help



ORGANIZE A BENEFIT:



The Fund for Women Artists WomenArts Network – Many artists from the WomenArts Network have sent us emails announcing hurricane benefits or fundraisers that they have organized. If you are doing any benefits or other work related to the hurricane, consider adding the keywords Hurricane or Katrina to your WomenArts Network profile so that others can find you easily. www.WomenArts.org.



Arts Unite for Hurricane Relief - Swine Palace, the professional theatre company at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, has set up a site for posting news of arts benefits and other arts news about the region: www.artshurricanerelief.org/



GIVE FINANCIAL SUPPORT:



All of the resource organizations listed above are accepting donations to support their programs for artists in the affected areas. In addition, here are a few other places you might consider for your support:



Americans for the Arts Emergency Relief Fund, a permanent fund developed to provide timely financial assistance to victims of a major disaster for the purpose of helping them rebuild the arts in their community. One hundred percent of relief funds will be distributed directly to local arts agencies for the purpose of assisting with their own recovery and their provision of needed services and funding to nonprofit arts organizations and individual artists, as well as to other cultural relief efforts. Americans for the Arts is initiating this fund with a $100,000 contribution. To make a contribution to the Emergency Relief Fund or to learn more about how to apply for financial assistance, visit our website at ww3.artsusa.org/get_involved/emergency_relief_fund/default.asp or contact us toll-free at 866.471.2787 and ask for the Americans for the Arts Emergency Relief Fund.



Historical Resources Recovery Fund - The American Association for State & Local History (AASLH) is working with the Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC) to assess needs of museums affected by the hurricane. AASLH is also developing a database to centralize the offers of goods, services, and space for the recovery efforts for all types of museums, regardless of discipline. To offer use of space or equipment, donate salvage supplies, or volunteer for salvage and recovery, contact Terry Davis, AASLH president and CEO, at davis@aaslh.org. AASLH Historical Resources Recovery Fund, 1717 Church Street Nashville, TN 37203-2992, www.aaslh.org/katrina.htm.



The Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC) has established a fund to assist affected museums. Checks should be made payable to SEMC with Hurricane Katrina Fund noted in the memo field. SEMC, P.O. Box 9003, Atlanta, GA 31106. The SEMC board will make decisions regarding distribution of the funds. www.semcdirect.net/



The National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) has established the 2005 Hurricane Relief Fund. Since much of the Gulf Coast's economy is tourism based -- especially historic travel -- historic places will play a critical role in the region's revival. Donations will support assessment teams, assist small businesses through the National Main Street Center, and disperse critical grant monies to organizations on the ground in affected communities. www.nationaltrust.org



Women’s Funds – A number of regional women’s funds have established special funds dedicated to long-term rebuilding led by women. To see a list, visit: www.wfnet.org/donate/katrinarelief.php



Grassroots Relief and Recovery Efforts - This site has a list of grassroots organizations led by low-income people and people of color who are involved in Hurricane Relief/Rebuilding: www.sparkplugfoundation.org/katrinarelief.html.



The National Network of Abortion Funds (NNAF) has established an emergency fund for abortion care for women and girls affected by the hurricane. Many women who are currently unable to get abortions may very likely have to seek second trimester abortions and will need the increased funding necessary for later procedures. Hurricane Victims Abortion Fund. NNAF, 42 Seaverns Avenue, Boston, MA 02130. Donations can also be made online at www.nnaf.org by clicking on the "donate now" button. Please specify that donations are for hurricane victims. You can also call the NNAF office for more information at: 617-524-6040.



GET ACTIVE:



Filmmakers Needed to Tell the Untold Stories - As the clean-up efforts continue and strategies for rebuilding are being developed, the need for documentation and analysis is inspiring independent filmmakers from around the country to pick up their cameras and begin telling the stories that are not being told in the mainstream media. MediaRights.org is encouraging filmmakers, educators and advocacy organizations to collaborate and make media about Katrina and its aftermath. If you have footage you would like to share, please post it on the site as a work-in-progress. www.mediarights.org



Changing the Nation’s Priorities: If you’re a person of faith, consider signing the Katrina Pledge, a commitment by people of faith to work for sweeping change of our nation’s priorities. Organized by Sojourner’s Magazine: www.go.sojo.net/campaign/katrinapledge/step1.tcl



The Environmental Angle - Send an email to Congress, asking them to support wetlands restoration as one important way to protect the Gulf Coast from future storms:

http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/restore_wetlands/step1.tcl



Government Accountability - Common Cause wants to hear examples of how government at all levels failed to do its job, before, during or after Katrina struck. They are compiling these stories to help them build a compelling case that they hope will lead to answers and solutions for the many problems that have become obvious in recent weeks. So if you or someone you know has a story related to the government's role in this tragedy, please consider sharing it with the Common Cause community. You can post it here: www.commonblog.com/story/2005/9/7/155439/2288. Common Cause is also demanding an independent commission of inquiry into the disaster. You can sign their petition here: www.commoncause.org/DemandIndependentKatrinaCommission.



The National Endowment for the Arts Plan Hurricane Disaster Relief Program – The NEA is developing a program of economic relief to the states devastated by Hurricane Katrina and those states affected by the recovery efforts. Congress expects to take up a supplemental appropriations bill that will allocate funds for disaster relief in addition to the more than $60 billion already appropriated. The NEA plans to request funding in that bill to help the economies of the devastated states by rebuilding cultural and artistic facilities and the livelihoods of artistic communities. The details of the proposal as developed so far would allocate 40% of the disaster relief funds to the affected state arts agencies in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida and their regional arts organization. For more information, please visit www.nea.gov/chairman/index.html.



You are receiving this newsletter because you are on the mailing list of The Fund for Women Artists, P.O. Box 60637, Florence, MA 01062. For more information about the programs and services of The Fund for Women Artists, please visit the Share the Vision section of our website at www.WomenArts.org.