Proposal

My dad taught me that most people can obtain a loan from a bank regardless of going bankrupt or having an unsteady income. I countered that I would certainly not qualify as a full-time visual artist, despite making a living from it. He explained that when approaching an institution with established rules and guidelines one must request a Creative Money Lender. This is a specific person who is there to think outside the box and on an individual basis balance the merits of proposals that don’t fit into the regular parameters, but are valid, none the less. I am looking for this proposal to reach the “Creative Money Lender” within the Mercy Ships organization.


April 28, 2008

Dear Mercy Ships,

I am writing to you with a unique proposal for your consideration. After having met with the Managing Director and other leadership on board, I have been advised that a proposal of this nature would best be approved at your level.

By way of personal introduction, I am currently serving on board the Africa Mercy as a full-time Assistant Cook with a minor job as the Academy High School Art Teacher. My partner is coordinating Anaesthesia from January 22 to August 15, 2008. Off the ship I am a full-time artist. I live and work in both Canada and the UK and received my Masters of Fine Art from the Chelsea College of Art and Design in London. My work has been exhibited across Canada, in the United States, Europe, and Africa and has won the Alberta Foundation for the Arts Grant. Further CV details can be found at www.michal.ca/cv.html.

My latest exhibition, Metal Head, was met with positive success from the arts, on-line communities and the media. Please find the review attached to this proposal. From this coverage, I was offered a solo exhibition in the fall of 2008 in Vancouver, Canada, to be followed by another review. During this same time I was short-listed for one of the largest monetary painting awards in Canada.

Having now served on board for three months, I see an enormous artistic opportunity that I believe would be of great benefit to both Mercy Ships corporately as well as to my own advancement as a professional artist. While it was my intention to continue painting in my off time, I have found that after eleven – twelve hours in the galley I am both physically and creatively exhausted. I would value the opportunity to partner with you (by including Mercy Ships branding) while documenting from a creative artist’s viewpoint, what happens on board the Africa Mercy in terms of the benefit and impact in the lives of the Liberian people that we serve. I would envision this to be a full time position for the remaining three and a half months of our on board commitment.

I have discussed at some length with Public Relations the possibility of having one or more art exhibitions on board as a preview to the art world, and/or strictly for its own merit to be enjoyed by crew and vision trips alike. They were extremely supportive and eager to get involved in a creative partnership. Perhaps, if this project is approved, PR would be an appropriate on board reporting line for me.

PROPOSAL: WARD SERIES

CONCEPT: A series of drawing/painting portraits of individual patients. Each portrait would be done in a similar raw style as my previous Metal Head Series with the addition of written information on the canvas or Mylar: perhaps including a name and something about the person.

TIME FRAME: The project would take 3.5 months of full-time work on board the AFM. Creating the work with the patient and finishing each piece would take the majority of the time. This might also include going out to our Tenegar site and perhaps Redemption Hospital where we have our Dental Clinic. Other related work includes website updating, international exhibition and grant submissions (see Submission Bodies below), assembling and writing media related items (press release, artist statement, proposals and cover letters), and extending web visibility.

SUBMISSION BODIES:
20 Galleries and funding bodies within Canada, USA, and the UK.
(Further countries and funding bodies will be included as I research appropriate venues and institutions)

MATERIALS: I have brought 20 kilograms of art supplies with me to Liberia that include oil paint, canvas, brushes, medium, Mylar, charcoal, graphite, watercolours, paper, and sketchbooks.

BENEFIT TO MERCY SHIPS: Each body of work must include a press package created by the artist to send to galleries, museums, media, and funding bodies. Each package would include an Artist Statement summarizing the “what, how, and why” of the work involved. My statement will focus around my experience serving with Mercy Ships in Liberia. I will be taking Mercy Ships name into the art world and media. I would also be pleased to donate a painting to Mercy Ships should I be given the opportunity to create this series.

COPYRIGHT: As soon as an artist creates a work of art, it is protected by copyright. If art is created for an employer or as work for hire, copyright belongs to them. The purpose of copyright is two-fold: it protects the artist's right against piracy or illicit use and it provides the economic incentive for artists to create. As I am a self-funded short-term volunteer, I would wish to maintain copyright on my own work, although any public and/or private event is open for press coverage.

FINAL THOUGHT: In my three months on board the Africa Mercy I have again been reminded that I am meant to be a painter and an artist. I have enjoyed cooking and the great personalities in the galley, but do feel more and more, however, that the place I am most meant to be is that of an artist wherever I am. Art is a powerful medium, whether in post-war Liberia or in the Western world.

Sincerely,
Michal