Charity?

...Well I did not sleep too well again, after a long day talking with many people and sketching, all I could see when I closed my eyes were hundreds of faces. I did quite a few sketches yesterday and all were imprinted in my brain, it takes a lot of concentration when people are around you watching. I was never good at performing in public, I remember when I was very little having to do a very small part for a school play and had just a few words to say, but when I appeared on stage and saw all these faces staring...expecting.....waiting, I froze, then you can feel the tension, and the silence and the distance of time in between, horrible feeling. Exactly the same with sketching, all these faces watching, waiting, expecting something amazing to happen, it is another interesting fear to overcome, so good to practice.

Very dissapointed with some people's idea of charity, only interested in trying to 'win' a bargain, some offers came in that just about covers the cost of each frame, let alone the time and effort everyone has put into this event and for me to offer original fine art paintings.

The most upsetting part is what must be in peoples minds, not considering this is a charity event and they are trying to cheat these poor people in Nepal from raising money for them. One person wrote an offer of 1500 INR and said "well you never know I might be lucky if no one bids for it I will get it cheap" Charity or bargain hunters ?

I felt like putting up a sign this morning, saying:

" this is a charity art exhibition purely for the benefit of under privilaged people of Nepal, not a charity art exhibition to help people decorate their homes with quality, original fine art that they are not willing to pay for generously" Please consider the cause at hand, thank you.

On the whole it has been a great succes, simply with the enthusiam and moral support from the press, friends, family and the people of Ahmedabad. We have had very generous offers on some of the paintings, and donations from people just wanting to help and support, so a big thank you to all these people for making it happen.

Thank you to Himali Thapa for her dynamic sales pitch, telephone skills and energy for a charitable cause putting aside all her other pressing demands, also her In laws and husband Ankit, for putting a roof over my head and helping out so much with the organisation.

Thank you to HCN, especially Deepali, the chair person who has been with us all the way giving us online support and encouragement.

Pranav Gupta, for the exclusive use of his beautiful exhibition room, donating this and printing banners, placing advertisments for us and generally wishing us a big succes in raising charity for HCN. Thank you.

And finally to all the people that have come and supported us, thank you.