UnStarving An Artist

My brother shared a Facebook post with me last week that really grabbed my attention. Artist, Viola Roshen, had shared a post displaying some of her current art for sale. Intrigued, I clicked the link and wouldn't you know it, I was tunneling down a rabbit-hole. It's not a conspiracy. It's not really a rabbit-hole. It's more a museum full of incredible, manifest inspiration. It is that deep-seated talent that drew me in and while gazing at the wonderful art in front of me, I began to realize a more important story that needs to be shared.

At first glance, I was blown away by her level of talent and her creative vision. I can write and blab all day, non-stop, to the point that the words lose their effect and my message gets distorted. This was the pure display of a control that I don't grasp. In my awe, I almost missed an important aspect of her work, the struggle that is ever-so-real. As I continued to scroll through picture after picture, I started to read the comments and then some of the comment threads accompanying the posts. Many were congratulatory and encouraging. Some were just downright unnecessary. To quench my thirst for more visual stimulation, I scrolled to another post and began perusing those pictures and it was during this quest that I noticed the truth that needed to be told. I dipped into Viola's Facebook page and her story began to unveil itself. As I delved deeper, I began to feel a bit of compassion for her. Compassion and sympathy have been far removed from my normal modus operandi for some decades so, this was quite exciting, invigorating even. I reached out to her via Messenger after she accepted my friend request and I pitched an idea for some collaborative work that could possibly benefit everybody involved. After a few days to think about things, I had this idea to write an article to promote awareness of her situation and possibly funnel customers and clients toward her fabulous art! She told me she wasn't against it. So here we are.

That's a tough one and given the current status of our planet's health crisis, it's one which to we can all relate. It turns out, that Viola has a condition that cannot, or will not, be treated by the doctors in her home country. There is however, a treatment that she has been approved for in Germany and she is trying to raise the money to afford it.

Now, this woman is not asking for charity. She is not begging for handouts or scamming innocent victims. She is not doing anything inappropriate to earn her living. She is using her own skill-set to do what she is good at and she is only asking for people to look at her works. You will never know if you want one if you never know it exists! If you like something, get it. At the very least, it is a pleasure to look at them all. A little something more would be to share her posts with your network of people and maybe we can help this person get the treatment she needs to become the best version of herself that she can be. She has the talent, the drive and ambition. She needs an audience. She needs clientele. She needs a damn gallery! She needs to earn her living so she can LIVE life. That part doesn't seem so much different from the rest of us.

Viola also has the BEST reason to want to stay alive, aside from the internal drive that sparks in most of us. Viola has a son. If there is any better reason than to fight with every last fleck of graphite or drip of oil, I don't know it. A mother's love for her child makes the world go 'round and personally, I'd like to see it keep going.

If you would like to help, go on over to Viola Roshen's Facebook page, scroll through the pictures and if you decide you are interested in any certain piece of her original art, leave a comment or inquire via Messenger and she will be able to make arrangements with you. Don't forget - Viola can and is willing to do custom pieces for you and your loved ones! Portraits, murals, your next tattoo! The imagination is the limit!

Disclaimer: All proceeds from art sales go directly to Viola Roshen. I am not publishing this article with any type of compensation or profit expected or accepted. The earnings from views and any tips this article gets on the Vocal platform will be used to purchase a custom design from Viola Roshen for my personal collection and I am certain it will provoke inspiration for future works. Thank you for your support!