Ellen Crocker | Another ArtWavEs Miracle

Ellen Crocker

So much good news to share! Four days ago, I met an amazing new mentor, Ellen Crocker, a multi-media artist living in West Hawaii. And just in time. We at Feed the Children are committed to reversing hunger, homelessness and helplessness in keiki who have little food or no place to live What does art have to do with childhood health? Plenty.

Health is supported by a lifestyle that encourages not only good nutrition but play, movement, music and the arts. Nourishment of the whole child teaches kids to “paint their own reality” while it improves test scores by creating “habits of mind” that serve kids for a lifetime, says a recent study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Ellen understands that arts are tools for thinking, but she realizes the arts are also more. She quotes Marc Chagall: “Art seems to me to be above all a state of soul.” When I worked with her in her light-filled studio overlooking Kealakekua Bay, she spoke of serving the soul of children in a sustainable way, helping them to create beauty out of struggle. “I want to help the Blessing Banner project,” she said. “We can make a big difference.”

Ellen, whose work has been awarded by the Hawai’i State Art Museum, the International Quilt Association and the Big Island Art Guild among others, is an Advanced Teaching Partner working in Hawaii public schools since 1983. A silk-painting maestro, she uses Japanese sumi-e ink brush techniques, watercolor, and a Japanese form of wax resist and dye on fabric called roketsu-zome. Her paintings and textiles range from intricate botanical paintings of orchids to abstracts, but it is her big heart of generosity I’d like to bring to your attention.

EVERY DAY IS CHRISTMAS

After several fruitful hours together in her studio, where I learned some new silk-painting secrets, I asked her where we might buy some materials we need. “I’ll do one better than that,” she said, and left the room. Then Ellen did the most gracious thing. She came back toting a large plastic tub filled with Setacolors, one of the best, safest, kid-friendly paints produced, already separated into student-size trays of multi-colored paint cups. She added keiki aprons and a huge $50 bottle of purple paint. It felt like Christmas in June!

Can color feed the world? It certainly fed me! What art does is touch the soul. Colorful, playful experiences do help heal the negative effects of poverty, alienation and despair on children & families. Good food and the good art make a third thing: a vision you may share with Ellen and I.

By engaging the minds, muscles and imaginations of children who are at-risk of soul loss because of forces outside their control, we can serve them with healthy brain food, heart nourishment and skills that empower them to lead healthy lives and become tomorrow’s leaders, visionaries and problem-solvers.

Can you help? We need your support now. The relationships we are building, the keiki we are training and the food support we are providing are part of a cycle of preparations for this year’s third annual Christmas ‘Ohana Dinner and Celebration for Keiki and Families. We can send blessings everywhere by making Blessing Banners to Feed the Children.

Help us help the keiki to help themselves! Look forward to Christmas and 100 child and teen banners as a testament to their optimism.

HOW CAN YOU PARTICIPATE? We respectfully request . . .

Volunteers to help at SKEA June 17 and 18 banner painting workshops. Fun!

Donations of Nutritious Food and Volunteers for our July 12-14 Puna Camp and October 5-9 Kealekehe Eco-Arts Camp.

Donations of Cash for. . .
Gas and Travel
Office Supplies
Brush Cleaner and Preserver
Brushes #6, 10, 12
Air Pens
Pins & Tacks & Rubber Bands
Pencils
Sketch Pads
Grafix Dura-Lar 25-Sheet Pad 9 × 12
Freezer Paper
Synthrapol Detergent 32 oz.
10 mm Habatai silk – 10 yards

PLEASE DONATE NOW to the Children’s Blessing Banner Project by clicking here: ArtWavEs Feed the Children

Our Mindful Movement, Meals & Expressive Arts Program – ArtWavEs – is a Whole Brain Educational approach, a collaborative creative process and an exhibit that will FEED THE CHILDREN by penetrating to the roots of poverty, bringing forth positive results for our society – one keiki, one meal, one conversation at a time.

Big Beautiful Blessings,
Marya for Feed the Children

“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.” – John Muir

Five Core Areas of Feed the Children Service. . .

Early Learning Dance and Art
Health and Wellness
Arts and Culture
Environmental Awareness and Stewardship
Cultivating Tolerance and Understanding

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