“Dreaming Cows” at the Waterloo Center for the Arts |
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| Written by Shannon Farlow, Marketing Director |
| Tuesday, 25 August 2009 02:10 |
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 Each painting is a dance of life and a song of joy. This exhibition of
work was created in support of the Heifer International Project’s educational
programs and to capture its significance during LaDuke’s inspirational
travels to the developing countries of Cambodia, Ecuador, Peru, Poland,
Rwanda, Uganda and Vietnam where she sketched farmers participating in Heifer
projects that are fighting hunger and poverty. Ms. LaDuke is an avid
supporter of Heifer International, a non-profit, humanitarian
organization dedicated to ending world hunger and saving the earth by
providing livestock, trees, agricultural training and values-based community
development to aid poor families around the globe in their quest to be
self-reliant.As families pass on this “gift of knowledge,” they become links in a network of hope, dignity and self-reliance, resulting in hundreds learning to care for themselves. Under Heifer’s mission, families may receive an animal, and this animal will help feed farmers and the community. When the animal is bred, families will remain responsible for passing on the “gift” of enabling another family to do the same by donating one or more of their animals’ offspring. COW-A-BUNGA! From a source of meat and milk to a provider of labor and religious inspiration, cows often play a central role in modern existence. LaDuke uses animals as a representation of life. She uses cows, in particular, because they provide just about all of man’s basic needs. They are symbolic of abundance, of the sanctity of all life, and of the earth that gives much while asking nothing in return. One healthy cow may produce 40 liters of milk a day—that’s about 150 cups! “With Heifer International’s guidance, even one cow or goat can improve and sustain the nutritional level, income potential, relationships and dreams of a family and a community,” said LaDuke. And while people depend on cows for food, clothing and profit, cows are as dependent on people for their survival. This mutually supporting relationship is captured in LaDuke’s vibrant works, each one portraying a dance of life or a song of joy—a dream in which man and animal complete each other in perfect harmony.  Heifer TrackerVisitors will explore current Heifer projects around the world on our interactive kiosk map. Click on any country to see how Heifer International is making a worldwide impact. In 2008, Heifer had 869 active projects in 53 countries/provinces and 27 U.S. states. Heifer projects around the world help families achieve self-reliance through the gift of livestock and training, and gifts are passed from recipient to recipient until entire communities are transformed. Through this exhibit activity, visitors will develop the following skill sets: geography, language, reading, and fine motor skills. Dream Weavers In addition to food products, animals provide us with fleece which, when processed and woven, can provide us with textiles for clothing, rugs and other items. Visitors will learn about how fleece is carded and spun to create yarn and then they will use a simple loom to create a giant weaving. Through this exhibit activity, visitors will develop the following skill sets: fine motor skills, creative expression, science, and reading. About Betty LaDuke / LaDuke, the artist Betty LaDuke’s artistic journey has taken her from the Bronx, to Oregon with many past and continued explorations into Third World countries. She was born to parents who had emigrated from villages in Ukraine and Poland. Her artistic path started when she was nine years old at the Worker’s Children’s Camp where she was first introduced to African American art and Mexican mural painting. After attending Denver University and the Cleveland Institute of Art, LaDuke traveled to Mexico in 1953 to study at the Instituto Allende. There, LaDuke explored expressionism, cubism, and pre-Columbian Aztec and Mayan art. She also had personal encounters with Mexican muralists Diego Rivera, David Alfredo Siquieros, and Rufino Tamayo. LaDuke left the Instituto Allende after a year but continued to work in Mexico for another two years. During that time she painted murals in Otomi Indian villages for an organization sponsored by the United Nations and the Mexican government. “The challenge is to reach beyond the momentary sketched events to create images that symbolically portray people’s universal and basic survival link to their environment and the earth.” . . Success is measured by how people's lives have permanently changed since Heifer came along. To learn more visit www.heifer.org. Waterloo Center for the Arts 225 Commercial Street Waterloo, IA 50701 (319) 291 –4490 www.waterloocenterforthearts.org Click on logo below to add this article to your favorite Social Website ~ |
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