AFABW Int “Art Day” Greeting Cards Launched

“Blue Arabian” by Petrina Sharp

July 26, 2007 – Hollywood: Three works of art were selected from submissions to the 2007 AFABW Int Art Day Greeting Card Project and the completed cards are available to purchase and mail to friends and family from the AFABW Int online store.

Established in 1998 by long-time AFABW Int member, Becky Mate, “Art Day” is the second Friday in August and has been celebrated on a grassroots level in England, Russia, France, Malaysia, Brazil, Puerto Rico and here in the USA. Last year, Art Day received its first official proclamation as a holiday by the city of Glendale, CA.

“Art Day” is the perfect time to celebrate creativity and bring joy to others. Draw a picture. Compose a song. Write a poem or story. Paint. Have a party! Additionally, give a card, photo, music CD, poem, story or anything creative to someone else.

In short, Art Day is about bringing a smile to others and forwarding the concept of creating a better world though aesthetics.

Although Art Day was formulated around a particular date to celebrate creativity, ideally, one would forward creativity all year round. Art Day helps to call attention to its importance.

The 2007 AFABW Int Art Day “Greeting Card Project,” established earlier this year, has a purpose to raise more awareness about Art Day and “Celebrating Creativity.” The project resulted in the following three artists selected for the cover of these greeting cards that are available for sale in the AFABW online store or by clicking on the cards below:

  • Susan Berkowitz: “Filigree”
  • Angela Lombard: “What If Planet Earth Popped?”
  • Petrina Sharp: “Blue Arabian”

Susan Berkowitz is an “Alternative Processes Artist” and hand builds her assemblages. Says Berkowitz, “I simply want to show that the smallest of objects can bring about great beauty, that maybe, due to our own situations, we may have missed along the way.” She uses an unusual method for creating her art. Click on her name for more information.

14 year old Angela Lombard submitted a light-hearted painting that also underscores a message of environmental, political and social consciousness that relates to everyone in our world today.

Petrina Sharp is a professional artist who makes a living exclusively with her paintbrush. Sharp said, “There’s an energy in us all that not only expresses our true beauty, but also represents the beauty we see in others.”

Founder of Art Day, Becky Mate, remarked about the 2007 AFABW Card Project:

“Every time someone sends a ‘Happy Art Day’ card to an artist of any discipline, they are saying, ‘I respect the work you do as an artist. I cherish the arts. You are valuable to me.’ Every time someone sends a ‘Happy Art Day’ card to someone who appreciates the arts, its cover encourages them to ‘Celebrate Creativity,’ a divine trait inherent in us all. I join those trendsetters who take the time to acknowledge our artists with a friendly greeting card, a simple way to fan the creative flames that shine the way into a better world.”

Mate further states, “You know it’s an official holiday if there is a greeting card! Put a smile on the face of an artist by sending them one any time of year.”