|
|
|
||||||||
|
The Original Prints of Freedom
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Original Prints of Freedom are created by Michelle Finnegan, founder of Essential Art
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
How The Prints of Freedom Began:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
Around 1999 or 2000, I felt such deep injustices in my life. I had studied hard, majoring in Social Theory and Political Economy and travelled the world experiencing first hand much of what I studied. Neither the studies nor the travels were easy, being a blonde woman that people like to stereotype for their own needs. The glass ceiling was not my only obstacle but I became victim to many people and learned that there was no system to protect victim's right's despite what we were taught. People still believe women's education is pointless since they are going to get married and have babies not careers. Even if that is what a woman chooses to do with her life, anyone with any real intelligence should understand that a well educated mother is far more competant in making healthy choices to keep her baby safe.
As an American, I was most disturbed that when crime occured in my country, victims became ostracized until they were invisible and inaudible. My first hand print painting was created with my own hands to represent all of the above. Our flag is comprised of a blue background with white Stars and red and white Stripes. My first painting was also designed with red and white stripes but the blue background was painted onto my own hands and I stamped them on the canvas to represent the stars. It is not only proof of my existence but furthermore all the Prints of Freedom are meant to show our individuality expressed by our unique identity within our skin as well as everyone's required participation in order for our communities to function properly by educating ourselves and working hard every day to fight for the Freedoms our forefathers before us bravely dreamt of and fought for. Freedom is not a mythical unreality or anything that arrives via entitlement...but it is an ideal state that can be reached.
Just as each one of us holds our unique identitiy, there is only one Universal Truth. This truth can be interpreted differently or otherwise denied leaving distortions of reality but the Truth will never change. the same is true about our identity - who we are will never change regardless of surgery, or media relations experts propagandizing varying interpretations or other such misrepresentation of facts. Plato taught in ancient times that who we are at the core will never be changed...it is interesting learning about his "myth of the metals."
John Stuart Mill wrote long ago about one's rights and responsibilities claiming that the more rights one is given the more responsibilities come with those rights. It is the right of everyone who is given freedom to also have the responsibility to work together as a member of a larger group the way the first settlers did to survive. We all have different gifts and talents and perceptions on how we should develop into the future but we must use our knowledge to the best of our ability to take calculated risks for the benefit of all, preserving our personal liberties and free market system or the gift of freedom will be taken away altogether.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
Other "Prints of Freedom"
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
In October of 2004, one of my hand print paintings was on the cover of the Collier County Bar Association's magazine. It was a piece entitled "Real Palms" Inside the cover was a small write up about the work I had been doing in Punta Gorda after hurrican Charley devastated the area. I drove hours each day to bring water and food and essential items like toothbrushes and toothpaste, bandages, hygiene items and thousands of cards and envelopes. I handed out these packages and assured them anyone who wanted to contact a loved one could write them, address the envelope and I would stamp them and mail them. I also took down email addresses and messages for those who wanted to reach people but had no electricity or phone service.
My lifelong passion for helping children also inspired me to have a public safety program endorsed by Collier County Human Service Director, Barry Williams. I designed it in such a way that I would also be helping promote about 10 local charities I believe in including the Neighborhood Health Clinic, the Botanical Gardens, etc. (More can be seen on the Prints of Freedom page). By becoming involved in community projects we interact with one another and work together to strengthen out bonds and keep predators out. Aynone who became a member or volunteer at these charities would be entered into a contest to win a boating package with Freedom Boat Club. One of my hand print paintings was matched up with each charity and anyone who ourchased a limited edition print would be helping fund the cause since a portion of each print was going directly to the charity as well as having a portion go to fund the public safety program. Of course, the public safety program involved the hand printing of children in case they went missing. As Benjamin Franklin said, "The price of Freedom is eternal vigilance."
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
Just this past year, since the original show at International College, I had the honor to go to NY and paint the finger of the Chief of the Fire Department from LAdder 20 as well as the finger of a firefighter named Tommy Marketos. They allowed me to print their fingers (painted fire engine red, of course) on a map of NY printed before the World Trade Towers were built. Now, all that remains in that region are the prints of the brave men from Ladder 20.
I also painted the hand of Conrad Miller who works in a chocolate cafe of Michel Cluizel which is located inside ABC home. I was allowed to paint the hand in real fine chocolate and print it on a menu of their chocolate and wine and liquor tastings - yum!
January 2007 was a busy month for me as I painted five new pieces with the hands of mentors in the Naples community to celebrate National Mentoring Month and promote the Governor's Mentoring Initiative. I painted the hands of the President of the sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma, a vetrinarian who is also a Big Brother for Big Brothers and Big Sisters, a photographer who donated his work to an Abuse Counseling and Treatment Center in Ft. Myers, the Great-great-grandson of the maker of Tiffany glass who is a volunteer member of the concert band, providing concerts in the park, plays for our Military tributes downtown, and helped me paint about 1000 children's hands during an event at Lely Elementary in an effort to prevent substance abuse, and the founder of Freedom Waters Foundation.
March represented the second annual live hand print painting I created for Big Borhters Big Sisters of Southwest FL. It was created the night of their largest fundraiser with the prints of attendees and auctioned that night.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
Other Special Prints of Freedom
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
Other pieces I am especially pleased with because of their ability to capture the essence of the person whose prints were incorporated as well as the moment the work was created are: 1. "Don't Stay a Dumb Turkey" which was created with the hand of Tonda Soisson. We had Thanksgiving dinner several years ago and I was told the horrific story about how a man broke into her home while her children were asleep in the other room. Her attacker then took her outside and threw her in her pool to erase his DNA but she managed to clenche her fist and preserve some. The attacker was found because he had just been released from jail and was able to be identified. She also painted my hand and I turned our hands into turkeys standing next to one another with the spoof lyrics for the song, "I will survive," about turkeys surviving Thanksgiving. 2. "The Prints of Freedom" which I gave the title of the portfolio because of its profound impact on my every thought and composition. It is an image of the eagle landing on the moon but the body of the eagle is made from a hand print of relative of mine. Not only is it meant to tell about prints of freedom we left in the new frontier of outer space but the insignia for the Apollo 11 lunar mission was designed by my relative, Michael Collins who flew Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldren safely to the moon and home.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
Essential History
Essential Events
Essential Literature
Essential Products
Dove Ad with Prints of Freedom incorporated
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
| page created with Easy Designer |