Drill Baby Drill
by Claudia Lynch

Mixed Media: Acrylic paint on canvas, vintage paper dolls, Mardi Gras beads, glitter, fake diamond.

Size: 14x11
Museum-wrapped canvas, painted on all sides.
Original Art: $100 plus a donation of at least $300 to Friends of the Fishermen (see below) ***

Inspired by a day trip to Grand Isle, LA to see for myself what was happening with the oil disaster, these Mardi Gras beads are floating in oil. The booms surrounding the island (and where is Christo when you really need him?) reminded me, in a very eerie way, of Mardi Gras beads. The glittered evening gown, fur stole and "diamond" necklace are symbolic of the thoughtless excesses and greed that led us to this disaster. The fish, recycled from actual Mardi Gras beads and sanded down to expose some of their natural black color, are swimming away from Greed as fast as they can. Only a few of them are still breathing.

 

*** Tax-Deductible Art
I'd like to use this piece to raise some sorely-needed money for Louisiana fishermen and shrimpers who are either being put out of business or are forced to travel many extra hours each day just to get their boats to waters with clean seafood. Friends of the Fishermen is the officially sanctioned fundraising arm of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, and was created as a way to help Louisiana's fishermen in their greatest time of need.

HERE'S MY PLAN: When you purchase this painting AND make a donation to Friends of the Fishermen that at least matches the purchase price (feel free to exceed my wildest expectations with that donation, which you can make online), YOU get the tax deduction for the donation. In thanks and respect for your generosity and good taste in art, I will make my own donation of $100 to Friends of the Fishermen. You can EMAIL ME to reserve this painting.

P.S. — I chose Friends of the Fishermen because it provides direct assistance to fishermen and shrimpers. I have no other affiliation with them. If you have another favorite organization that is directly involved in helping Louisiana fishermen and shrimpers through this disaster, your donation can be made to them instead.

RETURN TO Mardi Gras Beads