Author: bztat

Okey's Promise: Safe Animals – Safe Kids

Safe Animals Safe Kids

I am a mural artist. I like to create large scale public art that can be enjoyed by everyone, not just the select few people who make their way into a gallery or museum.

Most artists aspire to have their work shown in a gallery or museum. Not me. I would rather have my art seen on building on a city street where thousands can see it as they drive or walk by.

I also like to create art that has a purpose of motivating and inspiring people to make change in the world.

My artistic ideal is not exactly an easy path. Finding a way to finance public art with an altruistic purpose is like finding the proverbial needle in a haystack.

Typically, you have to submit laborious grant proposals or enter competitions to gain public art funding. Your chances are slim to none in such efforts, and your efforts are often judged by people who have no concept of what you hope to achieve.

If I take the typical route, it will take months to gain the funding, if I get it at all. There is a good chance that I would lose out to another worthy project, and my artistic vision would also be at risk of being altered by less visionary community leaders.

I have a passion and a vision with Okey’s Promise. It is a project that simply must be done.

I know that there are people who share my passion and are inspired by my vision. And I know that they can help me fulfill the vision. Are you one of them?

Are you intrigued enough to explore a bit more and join me in my artistic adventure?

Okey’s Promise is a public art project designed to create public awareness about the connections between animal abuse, child abuse and domestic violence.

These issues are deeply connect and need to be addressed together, not one in isolation of each other. When animals are suffering in a home or a community, children are likely to be suffering as well.

Yet merely sharing the facts doesn’t seem to get the point across.

Creating artwork that is highly visible to the community has a greater chance of connecting the dots for people. It is easy to ignore a fact sheet, but hard to dismiss a powerful public artwork that reaches out to you each day as you drive by it.

Please visit my Okey’s Promise website to learn more and to read about my unique plan for funding the project. You can also follow updates on Facebook.

Thanks. Your support means so much to me.

On a budget but still want a portrait of your pet?

Romeo the Cat portrait
"Romeo" Folk Art Pet Portrait Painting by BZTAT

Up until recently, I have only painted custom pet portraits in my pop art style. These paintings require a lot of preparation in advance of the painting, and my detailed layering technique also is very time consuming. Capturing a very distinct likeness of the animal and its unique character in a semi-abstract style is also an exacting process. As a result, I have had to raise my prices considerably over the past year.

I do not regret raising my prices, even though I know that it has led to reduced sales. The paintings are worth what I am charging, in fact, they truly are worth more than what I am charging.

That said, I want to offer portraits that are a little more affordable to those who are watching their budgets in these uncertain economic times.

I have decided to offer portraits that are not quite as detailed and customized. Many people have enjoyed the quick folk art paintings that I have created in my paint-a-thons, so I have decided to offer these as an option for custom portraits. I can do these for a more economical price and, well, heck. They are fun to paint!

You can see examples of both pet portrait painting options here along with price lists.

So what are you waiting for? Why not spend all that holiday cash you got on a memorable piece of art that will keep on giving for years to come?

By the way, the cat in the painting above is none other than the cyber superstar Romeo the Cat, who has raised thousands and thousands of dollars to help animal rescue organizations. Romeo, you are an inspiration!