Colours of Hope Leaves a Legacy

I went down to Siloam Mission yesterday to hand in the reports on my recently concluded Colours of Hope event. I was all prepped up for the meeting with the director, with all my receipts and documents in tow. The meeting went by very smoothly as we skimmed through the papers and ran down the list of donors to be receipted. After our 40-minute discussion, the meeting wrapped up with a visit to the art room.

The director shared so many updates with me that I can hardly remember each one. Everything that she shared had something to do with the impact that my event had generated. I may forget some of them but what remained within me is the great feeling that something really good came out of my hard work; those many long nights that I have endured just so I can stay on top of everything with regards to planning, coordination, and preparation.

As we entered the art room, I was amazed on how differently it looks now. Before it was more of a spare room to store various stuff like chairs and tables but today, the venue is more inviting and exhibits an air of inspiration with walls decorated with framed artworks done by the patrons housed within a board meant for this purpose. Shelves house numerous books as well as game boards, and topped with young plants in uniformed plastic containers.

The director continued on to share inspiring stories and developments. One of which is the joint venture between Siloam Mission and Red Road Lodge to conduct a common art program made possible by a grant recently awarded. Because of my event, many had registered for the art program and many more are interested to join. There are also several interests and proposals coming from the outside and one of which is the commissioning of the patrons’ artworks. Also, Siloam Mission may eventually turn this into a full-time program. There were other wonderful developments happening as well. Patrons were so encouraged that they are so proud and happy to see their artworks on display in the facility. At least for once in their lives, these patrons have something to be proud of which could help them regain their self-worth and eventually move forward from a life of homelessness to a life that is more productive. The place creates so much attention among interested individuals that it can serve as a starting point for people to sign-up for Siloam Mission's other programs.

Before I left the premises, the director pointed out to me the walls of their dining area decorated with artworks. I was so touched by the colourful display that it melted my heart. The director remarked to me, “You have encouraged us.” At that moment, it dawned on me that inspiration, encouragement, and hope were the lasting results of my event and anyone can see it as one walks in at the very area where the homeless come in to seek help and ask for a meal. The very area where people with broken hearts and broken lives, look for answers and find a little comfort from people who care. The colourful display of artworks including a huge heart made out of collage was meticulously created by the hands of the very people suffering from homelessness and poverty. The artwork created was a sign of hope to anyone, who may think that there’s nothing left in life but great despair.

As I left the building, the very faces of people who contributed to my event flashed in my mind. I left Siloam Mission with a big smile knowing that I live in a city where generous people live and where community spirit prevails.

Here are more photos of the art room that I was talking about. The last couple of photos show you the printed cards I received as a token from Siloam Mission in appreciation of my hard work. To Siloam Mission, ‘thank you’ for the great opportunity of serving you!

The Earthquake in Japan: The Aftermath and the Role of Social Media

A massive earthquake with a magnitude of 8.9 in the Richter scale hit Japan on March 11th, Friday. The earthquake lasted for a few minutes but had also caused a ferocious tsunami as high as 10 metres (33 feet) which swept away cars, buildings, homes, and caused widespread fires in the eastern coast. This earthquake was the most powerful since records began.

Scores of people were killed and thousands have evacuated their homes especially those who lived near the nuclear power plants, in fear that the cooling systems were damaged. Many people were also stranded in Tokyo since the earthquake started. This catastrophe is so devastating that even though Japan is known to be the most prepared in an earthquake situation, the country is surely not prepared for this one—the severity of the destruction caused by this powerful earthquake is too difficult to comprehend.

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan makes this his top priority. He would be visiting the places that are mostly affected by the earthquake riding a helicopter. It was reported that two nuclear power plants in Fukushima located north of Tokyo, were damaged by the earthquake. Tokyo Electric Power Co. had taken steps to release pressure from these plants.

As this devastation in Japan unfolds right before our very eyes, it makes me think now on the many communications crisis plans that are in place and are being enforced (or will be enforced) to deal with the many destructions happening all at the same time.

In a situation like this of epic proportions, I have read that Prime Minister Naoto Kan had ordered the evacuation of thousands of residents living within the 10-kilometre radius of the Daiichi nuclear power plant. Scores of people were being moved and this is a smart thing to do in order to make sure that in the event that a radiation leakage happens, people were already taken out away from harm’s way.

Naoto Sekimura, a professor at the University of Tokyo mentioned that a major radioactive disaster is very unlikely since the damaged coolants at the plants only mean a rise in temperature which also stops the reaction. If ever there would be a radiation leakage, it will be very minimal and won’t go beyond a 3-kilometre radius.

So far, the news that I have been reading give me the impression that the Japanese government is doing its very best to handle this situation. The staff or even advisors to Prime Minister Naoto Kan are certainly doing their homework and trying to anticipate the worst case scenario. Even if the professor interviewed from the University of Tokyo reassures that it is ‘unlikely’ for the radiation to leak beyond the 3-kilometre radius, the Japanese government is certainly not taking any chances of another potential disaster. Removing thousands of residents within the 10-kilometre radius may be a very big and overwhelming undertaking but it’s the best that can be done at this time to ensure that the lives of the Japanese people are not at stake.

The powerful earthquake that shocked the entire country of Japan puts everyone on their feet. I can only imagine now the many crisis communication plans that have taken effect not only on the government level but as well as for the many industries affected by this natural calamity. There were hundreds or even thousands of cars ready to be shipped to other markets but were destroyed by the tsunami making it look like a stack of corroded matchboxes. The person in-charge of the communications for that particular automaker might be doing his work at this time informing overseas customers with regards to this uneventful happening, informing them of delivery cancellations or orders to be put on hold (but it’s also possible that nothing is done at this time since everything was destroyed and communication lines were interrupted). Employees of this car company (and the many other companies affected) will most likely not be able to receive any kind of information from their employer because of the vast destruction caused by the earthquake and the tsunami. Everyone’s priority at this time is to survive.

The Role of Social Media

Once again, people all over the world are embracing the power of social media with regards to the devastation that happened in Japan. Expatriates and travellers in Japan use Twitter and Facebook to contact families and friends, telling them of the latest news. There is even a “Person Finder” web app to link victims with families. More than 7,000 records have been entered since this afternoon and the numbers just keep going. Even before the earthquake stopped, many people instantaneously pulled out their video cameras to take videos and photos, and share the scenes around them with the rest of the world. It was reported that there are more than 9,000 earthquake-related videos and 7,000 earthquake-related photos that have been uploaded to YouTube since the start of the earthquake ranging from first-person accounts to videos and photos taken by media representatives. There are also several fundraising efforts using social media to bring relief funds to Japan.

This land of the rising sun faces a long road ahead before it can finally recover. Not just months but it will definitely take years. This tragedy affects the lives of thousands of people—homes destroyed; industries affected; power plants in the brink of causing yet another disaster; and an economy that was shaken which will cause the nation to be indebted. The global community has certainly started to join forces in order to help. My thoughts and prayers go out to those who are affected, and I do hope that the recovery and healing will take place the soonest.

(This is just one of the many videos you can watch. Go to YouTube for more.)

Artworks that Speak



A landscape artwork done by a patron-artist


I have started  blogging about my Colours of Hope event a week ago and I 'promised' that I'll be blogging more about it.

The logistics of putting up an art exhibit and art auction might interest you (and for sure, there would be people out there who would like to know how I put the nuts and bolts together), but let me talk about the 'humanity' behind the artworks that were displayed particularly the ones created by the homeless.

Portraits, landscapes, and symbolisms were common themes in the artrworks. Most of which were done in pencil and the others took a step further finishing it with watercolours.  The wide array of artworks done by the patrons of Siloam Mission and on exhibit during the week-long event at The Edge Gallery from February 18th to the 24th, showed gallery visitors the creativity of the patrons. A visitor to the exhibit once said that she was pleased to view such artworks because that made her realize that these homeless people are no different from the rest of us.

The wonderful artworks may have shown the artistic potential of these individuals but what was more touching were  the stories behind them. One patron-artist admitted that his artwork on display wasn't supposed to be the one included in the exhibit. Just a few days before the exhibit started, his painting was stolen. There was no clue on who did it and why, but that unfortunate incident didn't stop his determination to be part of a wonderful event. In response, he painted another artwork in just under two hours.What an amazing story! This homeless man wasn't cuaght up in that situation but rather, took a positive step and resolved the problem.

The art exhibit for these homeless people was a 'big' thing for them. Not many people may know about this but for anyone who is homeless, his sense of self-esteem and self-worth are missing. Preparations for the exhibit excited them, and the arts program at Siloam Mission provided these homeless individuals a place to create beautiful works of art that have therapeutic benefits and may usher in the healing process. So when the exhibit started, we had a steady flow of visitors to the gallery from different walks of life including people from the streets. I've seen most of the patron-artitsts visit our exhibit and 'everyone' of them shared his delight on being part of such an interesting endeavour. At least for once in their lives, they had a sense of pride for something that they have done and their artworks proved that point; at least that's the only thing that they can share back to the community.

The event may be over but I'm sure that the sense of pride and joy can still be felt by them. I am just hoping that this positive experience will help these patron-artists to move forward in life and take on an active step towards a life that is more productive. This may not take overnight (it may even take years) but at least a ray of hope can be seen.

Join Me in Cloud 9

Now it's Saturday, and I'm still in cloud 9 reminiscing the great week that I had.

My art exhibit called Colours of Hope is an awareness campaign for the arts program of Siloam Mission- a humanitarian organization that provides a variety of programs and services free-of-charge to people experiencing homelessness and poverty in the city of Winnipeg.

The art exhibit started February 18 and went on until the 24th (but closed on Sunday) at The Edge Gallery on 611 Main Street. The exhibit had at least 200 visitors and they all came from different backgrounds and places. It's heart-warming to see the eagerness of these people who wanted to know what the exhibit was all about; but most specifically, curious of what our patron-artists (homeless artists) can do in the field of visual arts.

I had never thought that the exhibit would draw this much crowd. It attracted media attention and the event was all over the television, radio, and print. It was exciting to see that this was also publicized immenseley in different sites. Some of which I didn't ask to promote in the first place. Looking back, now I can remember that some of the people from these organizations are people I met long time ago.

There is a great sense of community here in our city and I am proud to be a Winnipegger. The event not only saw the artworks of patron-artists who have something to give back to the community, but as well as fascinating paintings by renowned local artists including Jackie Traverse, Patrick Ross, Jordan Miller, Lana Winfield, and promising artists Andrea Caron and Josie Hofer (a Hutterite).

The art exhibit concluded with an art auction night (it's only then that I realized that I was doing two projects) and it saw more than 60 people. I have all the names, and I am definitely sure that there were at least 60 people. The program was hosted by Winnipeg Sun's Laurie Mustard who charismatically handled the program with great ease. Bill Knight of Bill Knight Flooring & Carpets was our program's auctioneer. There were many heart-warming moments during that night's event. Frankly, it's not easy to hold an art auction; moreso, a LIVE auction. But we were successful because we were able to sell 7 out of the 11 paintings in the live auction and it made our featured artists really happy. What's so important about that very cold night (I think it was the coldest night this week) was the great expression of community among our guests. They braved the cold and the dark streets of downtown Winnipeg, just to show their support for the city's homeless and impoverished population.

I only have great words for each and every person who was there. I myself was so touched by the great support of everyone. I would be writing more about this in my next post. At the meantime, join with me in cloud 9 and have a sense of excitement building up; as even though this event is over, the impact it created will surely linger on and hopefully, will open to new doors.

Sometimes What People Need is a Second Chance

Anyone who lives in a very supportive environment can say that their success in life is brought about by the love and support of people around them. This is especially true for anyone who is surrounded by such wonderful people—but what about for those who hardly have any kind of support at all? For them, growing up was tough; every single day was mere survival; and the future didn’t look promising at all.


There are people in our lives who need a certain kind of support whether that be material, moral, emotional, or even spiritual. Sometimes it’s quite obvious to know if a person is in need of material support but oftentimes, it takes a lot of skill and a certain ‘gift’ to discern if a person is in genuine need.


I had my fair share of experiences with people who benefited from what I have to offer and there’s simply no complaining on my part—I understand the true meaning of giving without asking for anything in return. Once I was carried away by my feeling of discouragement and told myself that I won’t be ‘too generous’ next time around because of how certain individuals took advantage of my sincerity and generosity. But I’ve learned along the way that sometimes we just need to understand and give that unconditional love in the hope that the person concerned will be transformed. Most often we may not see any kind of transformation at all but if our efforts are all taken together to change people’s lives in our community, I think the idea of continuing our work is worth the risk.


For people who are broken and struggling with life’s challenges, they are the ones who need our help. For all of us who are in a better position, we just have to step forward and extend that helping hand. After all, sometimes what people need is a second chance to make it through and we can make that happen.

Appreciating Abstract

Art. What is it, really?

In my visual dialogue class today, we started discussing about sculpture as a form of art.  We had the pleasure of looking at photocopied pictures of several well-known and famous sculptures from the past by great artists like Michaelangelo and Rodin but our discussion focused around and gave an analysis of Michaelangelo's "David," which is a sculpted representation of the biblical hero of the same name.

I can discuss in great lengths why the particular version of David by Michaelangelo (which was carved out of marble stone) is very disproportionate in terms of its anatomy and on why we think (as discussed by our instructor) that marble may not be an ideal material to work on for this heroic sculpture.

Looking at art in a particular way is very relative- in a way that it is very subjective and quite personal. I like looking at sculptures and simply admiring the details put on by the artist, to best emulate the real thing. In paintings, you can see a lot of different subjects being used by the artists. From human portraits to skyscraper buildings, the choices are simply endless. But not all paintings or even sculptures depict their original subjects the way they are actually seen by our naked eyes. Abstract paintings for one relies on the interpretation of the artist. This doesn't simply fall under surrealism, but abstract paintings is categorized on its own. Look at the great artist Picasso's work, and you'll know what I mean.

In our exhibit "Colours of Hope--an art exhibit & auction event to benefit Siloam Mission," one of our Winnipeg artists by the name of Lana Winfield will show a few of her abstract artworks. Her paintings delve into  topics like women's issues, body image, global warming, depression, religion, and even history. A graduate from the University of Manitoba with a diploma in art, Winfield shows her compassion to our city's homeless by being part of this exciting event.

Winfield's untitled paintings can be interpreted in various ways. Just because that it doesn't give you a full picture of an actual thing, doesn't necessarily mean that her paintings don't depict actual life itself. In fact, I am challenged to look at abstract art in a different level and try to bring out the emotions and thoughts depicted through  the artwork.

If you are interested to have a look at a couple of Winfield's paintings, come to the "Colours of Hope" and experience our interesting array of original artworks from our different artists.

Be "Cherry" With Author Matt Duggan on This Friday's Reading Series

Whenever there is a new writer that comes along (at least for me), one question I would often ask is—what kind of stuff does he write? Before entering the Creative Communications program at Red River College, I was the type of reader who had ‘settled down’ to reading books that suited my liking. I preferred inspirational books and lots of ‘feel good’ books over murder-themed novels. I assume that you already have an idea what these books are!

In the past two years of being in the program, I have re-learned how to ‘expand’ the kinds or genres of books that I read from historically drawn themes to contemporary present day murder stories. To read such books brings me to a higher level of appreciation for such works of literature. Just like in gourmet food, reading books of different themes from different authors, enriches one’s palette and brings fullness to one’s soul.

On February 4, author Matt Duggan will be our guest writer at the CreComm Reading Series. The CreComm Reading Series curated by K.I. Press, brings writers of all genres to Winnipeg. Opening acts are current and former CreCommers with creative works-in-progress. Matt Duggan will be reading at 10 a.m. in Room P107, Roblin Centre at the Exchange District Campus, 160 Princess Street, Winnipeg. He will also be reading at 7 p.m. in Aqua Books, 274 Garry Street.

My fellow CreCommer Greg Berg, will be the opening act for author Matt Duggan. Greg Berg is an aspiring writer who is still working on his YA novel entitled, Our Glass, for his Independent Professional Project at Red River College. If everything goes well, Greg Berg plans to have his novel published by the end of this year. Greg Berg’s novel sounds very promising. It is one work that I will surely look forward to, and include in my collection of contemporary writings should it reach its publication.

But for now, Matt Duggan is someone that we should check out. He wrote a novel called, The Royal Woods, which is a tall tale for children set in a suburban subdivision of a prairie city. This was nominated for The Moonbeam Award and the Silver Birch Award. His latest work, Cherry Electra, is about a dirty cottage weekend that culminates in murder. Quill and Quire describe it as “satisfying bit of country-cottage gothic.”

Matt Duggan is a graduate of Churchill High School and currently teaches high school in Toronto. He is delighted to be back here in Winnipeg and have the opportunity to read his latest novel. So if you are in for a new journey in literary writing and would like to know more about Cherry Electra, come on down to either of the reading sessions at Red River College or at Aqua Books. Let’s give Matt Duggan the floor and let him read from his latest work. I believe that he has something to offer to anyone who would take the time to listen, and be more knowledgeable of the kind of writing he does. I have a good feeling that I will be in a for an interesting treat this Friday.