"Katrina" finds a home in New Orleans

The painting "Katrina" was donated to the Make It Right Foundation headed by Brad Pitt in New Orleans. The foundation does the work of miracles by constructing hundreds of homes in the heart of the devastation. I contacted a woman named Sarah Marks, she was working in the new corporate headquarters constructed for the foundation. I explained I had created a painting in response to Hurricane Katrina and the devastation it caused. In my heart I felt that this painting needed to go New Orleans. I coresponded with Sarah by sending pictures of the painting and an explanation of the meaning behind it. She was the person I needed to speak with... they accepted the work. The painting was sent and is now displayed in the main board room. I am very thankful to Sarah and the Make It Right Foundation. She told me of all the positve responses that have been spoke pertaining to the work. She also explained that a lot of people were interested in the meaning of the work? So I told her it is a painting of hope through a young childs eyes. I created a warm sunset, with a heavenly glow above the city of New Orleans. The young girl is Katrina and she is on a desolate swing out in a vast sea of flooding. The emphasis is solely on the relationship between the girl, the city, the flooding and the heavenly light from above. I wanted to create a feeling of hope. In most of my contemporary pieces I incorporate stream-of-conciousness writings embeded directly into the composition. If the viewer wants to look deeper into the work they can read the writing, but the work is not dependent on the writing. The writing in Katrina are her thoughts as she was on the swing. Here's the writing... " My home... My home... Where I grew up. My home... where I had my first memories, my home. My home is me, its smell... It's where I laugh; it's where I cry, It's where I'm scared; it's where I'm alright. My home... It's me. I miss my home... My home was my safety. My home is my family. My home was my home... Where did my home go? Where did my home go? Is my home dead? Who will come to save my home? My home means so much to me... I want to stay here, Will we? Can we? I'm scared... where did everyone else go? Will it ever get better? Will it ever be the same? I saw Daddy cry for the first time... will anyone help my Daddy? He is hurting... I can feel his heart breaking... Who will help us? Will they come? They don't know me... will they still come? If I pray really hard... will they come? If I close my eyes and swing high enough... will they see me? I miss my home... I need someone to save my home, do you think they'll come? -Katrina