Faces of Strength - a Mom with a Global Heart

"Lori's Heart"
Mixed Media on Panel
12x12

In my last post, I shared about Lori.   This post, I hope to inspire you with her strength story.

For Lori, it all started at a church youth group about four years ago.  The topic was about an organization called “Feed My Starving Children.” a non-profit committed to feeding malnourished children.  She thought it would be a good way for her own children to be involved - “kids helping kids.”  

About two years later, after Lori became the president of her parent/teacher association she was given a huge task.  The superintendent suggested they come up with a community service project for the middle schoolers.  The idea to do something with “Feed My Starving Children” kept coming back to her. 

The idea was sealed when she saw they had a mobile packing day event which allows groups to pack meals at their own location.  She says she felt it was a way for the students to be “globally connected.” It was a chance to “reach beyond our borders.”

It took a big step of faith and a ton of letters, followup and fundraising. As a result of her step and that of many other community members, there were: 

• 108,000 mobile packs
• 510 volunteers
• 3 different packing sessions
• 14 pallets of food

298 children fed for one year!

Lori says she learned “not to limit God with what my idea of possible is. All things are possible.”

Can I hear an amen?

First Painting of the Year

"Chasm of Unbelief"
©Antonia Lucas-Ruppert
Acrylic, Ink & Pastel on Canvas
8x10

Okay.  So my daughter received a card for her birthday.  The card said she was strong, ambitious and capable.  I was like “Wow” that is what I think about her too. 

This image on the card was so striking that I decided to play around with my own strong imagery.

I am following an amazing book - Flavor for Mixed Media by Mary Beth Shaw.  I found myself playing around with acrylic, oil pastels, soft pastels, mediums and ink. 

I was like “Oh Snap! I get to paint like this?”

After painting this piece, I lovingly handed it to my friends on Facebook who came up with some awesome titles.

• Thinking Way Too Hard
• Looking Inward
• The Dream... Surreal
• Sustenance
• Window of the Soul
• The Chasm of Unbelief

I really appreciate it when I can collaborate with others on things like “titles.”  The title I’m choosing is “Chasm of Unbelief.”  I got chills when my good friend Leanna posted that. 

I chose this title because in reality the red and black mid section of the piece represents all of the obstacles we must go through sometimes in order to come to belief or peace.

(Thanks Leanna.)

Lil Wayne: 7 Success Tips for Artists

"Musical Notes"  12x12  Mixed Media  ©Toni Ruppert

Last night, I watched something I thought I’d never watch; over an hour of biographical video footage about grammy award winning American rapper Lil Wayne.  I watched the VH1 Behind the Music video,  his interview with American journalist Katie Couric and some other footage with my teen daughter, Kayla.   

Kayla told me she had already watched his VH1 interview with her father.  Since they had a bonding moment over it, I figured I’d watch it with her as well.  Reason aside - let’s just say I was fascinated by the footage.  My daughter got a real kick out of seeing my reaction.


Lil Wayne in one word: industrious. He is hardworking. On one of the videos, he is shown performing a full show and then getting on his tour bus to record new material.  It’s like he was driven to succeed.

I was fascinated by the interviews. Couric asked about the rumors of his alleged addiction to cough syrup and use of marijuana.  He was real about that. That was interesting to me--since I often allow food to get in my way.  I mean I can eat.  Food addiction means I’d rather eat pecan sandies cookies for breakfast than cook a real meal.  Intimate knowledge of my own struggles enabled me to understand this portion of the video. 

After watching this, I now better understand why Kayla was “super gaga” over the Lil Wayne phenomena.  From watching these videos with her, I gleaned 7 success tips for ANY artist:

7 Success Tips for Artists

1. Work hard: one needs the will to work hard; Lil Wayne tells Katie Couric he has this
2. Find mentors: one of the videos stated that Lil’ Wayne was mentored since age 9
3. Get involved:Lil Wayne did odd jobs at his old record label before he ever recorded
4. Be real and know one’s identity: it was obvious to me that he knows where he is from AND an even stronger sense of where he is going
5. Practice ones skill: In the Bible, one of my favorite sayings from King Solomon says “skill will bring success.” Lil Wayne embodied this as a youngster and with the old rap group, “Hot Boyz.” After the group disbanded, he was ready to do his thing.
6. Work with a team: It might have been my perspective, but it seemed as if real commercial success came after Li Wayne’s second album was a commercial thud.  He then chose a fresh team of producers and music folks to create with.
7. Be prepared to reinvent: Also after the second album, Lil Wayne said he reinvented his method of recording. In previous recordings, he had pre-written his lyrics.  After a reinvention, he says he began recording his music without using a pad of paper.  Whether this was totally “freestyle,” is debatable.  But his new way was different from the way he recorded before.
   

After watching these video tidbits about Lil Wayne, and gleaning these tips, I realize there is hard work to be done.  Watching Lil Wayne with my daughter has caused me to want to live to my creative potential.

New Mixed Media Collage: After the Storm

"After the Storm" ©Toni Ruppert, 5x7 in, Mixed Media Collage on paper
$140

Do you remember learning to ride a bike?  

Recently, my youngest daughter, Imani, could not stop falling as she learned to ride her new bike.  Unsure of how to steer the bike, she kept riding and falling.  The only thing I could teach her to do is to get back up right away.

After watching Imani fall and get back up, I reflected on some life challenges of my own. 
 
The result was this painting, “After the Storm.”  It is a mixed media piece--which means it was created with multiple kinds of media or materials.   

I chose strong colors red, umber and orange simply because I absolutely loved them.  They represent power and strength to me.  I tore paper and added them to the piece - not due to a plan, but due to my desire to explore collage with jagged edges.  And the hearts that are in this piece are my way of representing friendship and intimacy.   

Regardless of how many times I’ve fallen, I’ve managed to get back up with the help of God’s power and my family and friends. 
 
In the bible, Psalm 145:14 says, "The LORD upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down."

May my new creation remind you of this.

New Show at Envision Gallery: Healing from Brokenness

"It's In Between Us", Mixed Media, 18x24

My dining room table, my current spot for creating, is in a state of disarray right now. But I feel a cleansing coming on--an inner cleansing. Do you know what I mean? More and more, I am feeling the freedom that comes through expression. So I don’t mind the mess.

In about four months from today, my artwork and that os artist Sharon Burrink will be shown at Flourish Studios’ Envision Gallery in Chicago. Flourish Studios was founded by Dr. Julia Rahn and the curator is Meredith Siemsen. After meeting them both recently, I was truly inspired to keep creating and, well flourishing.

The show opens October 1st, 2010 with a reception - just in time for Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Chicago Artists Month. I will be available for a short gallery talk to discuss my processes and techniques. The gallery is located at 3020 N. Lincoln Ave in Chicago.

In addition, the show, “Healing from Brokenness” will be a fundraiser for IMPACT Chicago - a non-profit organization that is committed to ending violence against women.

I have posted my newest piece which has been tentatively named “It's In Between Us.” It is 18x24 and is a Mixed Media piece(pastel, torn paper, rice, photography and finger prints). I will be asking my fans on Facebook for their thoughts on my title.

I so appreciate this opportunity to share some deeper work about an issue that impacts us all. The "controlled chaos" on my table means that art is happening.

Putting One's Faith in Action

Sleeping in Safety ©Antonia Ruppert
Watercolor/Pastel on Paper

This week, I watched a TD Jakes video entitled Put Your Faith in Action. It inspired me to not let my dreams die. In the message, TD Jakes said faith works if you work it. This week I worked it.

I painted more. I added exercise to my daily routine. And I simply prayed. Praying is always an example of putting one's faith in action. It takes faith to be close to God...faith to believe.

This watercolor painting - "Sleeping in Safety" describes what I want for myself, my daughter and women everywhere - to experience love and safety. The swirls and waves came to me like a rush. I painted them first on watercolor paper. Then my daughter allowed me to draw her which I did. That pastel/charcoal drawing was then added on top of the watercolor. Voila!