God's Photo Album - How We Looked for God and Found Our School

I am certainly no Bible-thumper as anyone who knows me can tell you, but the idea of giving cameras, notebooks and pencils to 168 children and asking them to find God - each in their own way - and in each other - truly intrigued me.

The results are astounding and inspirational. Their goal? To save the struggling Ewa Beach Elementary School on Oahau, Hawaii. They did - and then some. They produced a book of their startling images and suprising observations - proof that no dream is too big and no goal too ambitious. After four years, the book is on the shelves - and the children have learned that God truly is everywhere. To find out more about "God's Photo Album," click here.

Some of the priceless observations:

"I see God by the peacock. He was feeding it lots of food and asking it, "Are you happy?" - Victoria Souza, age 8.

"I see God in the fish. Because fish are God's gift to us children." Sheri-Ann Carganilla. age 8.

"Who can adequately describe God's work? The children." Linda Sullivan, mother, age 40.

Helping Haiti Through The Arts

Well, the headlines about Haiti have receded, but the suffering of this tiny, ravaged, nation has not. So, what can artists do, you might ask?

Well, as they did after the earthquake that struck Chile ealier this year, the tsunami that struck Asia in 2004 and Hurricane Katrina that devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in 2005, artists did plenty.

The International Child Art Foundation Healing Arts Programs help children who suffer from these tragedies by treating their trauma and loss through the healing power of the arts .

ICAF's approach is the most cost-effective method for helping children overcome anxiety, depression and loss in the case of a mass-trauma event, particuarly with the most often overlooked and vulnerable victims, the children. Haitians are collectively imaginative and artistic. Self-taught artists and their work are found everywhere in their country. Working with Haitian-American professionals - and especially art therapists - the Haiti Healing Art Program is designed to make a difference in the emotional and pysychological recovery of Haiti's children.

ICAF is making its program materials available free of charge to anyone currently working with children in Haiti or planning to do so.

To support the current programs, the Haiti Healing Arts program, click here, or the Chile Healing Arts, click here. To read more about the sucess of the Katrina Healing Arts Program, click here or the Tsunami Healing Arts Program, click here. To make a secure donation through PayPal, click here.

Born into Brothels - An Inspiration for Kids' Art in the Toughest Places

Since this was one of the earliest compiliations of children's art that inpired me, I thought I would add it here. If you haven't seen Born into Brothels, please do. It is an absolutely riveting story about a photographer who spent months teaching photography to children in the red-light district in Calcutta.

Her belief is that photography is an effective tool at igniting children's imagination and self-esteem. We whole-heartedly agree! Photography has the power to transform lives for both the artist and the viewer.

To view more of Zana Briski's work with the children of Calcutta or to find how you can help the many children living in povery in India, click here. You can also buy a copy of the Kids with Cameras book by cliking here.

"Little Gems" from the Mind of Sayge Norton

It's hard to believe these images were taken by an 8-year-old, but I guess when you are born with the photog family gene, you're probably a little bit ahead of the game!

These priceless photographs, including the "wet, dead butterfly" to the left, and the "mother-daughter self-portrait through an aquarium" below, are the work of Sayge Norton, whose mother, Janel Schroeder-Norton, was a photographer for many years at the St. Petersburg Times, before giving it all up to take a "cushy" job as a magazine photo editor. (Just kidding, Janel!)

Sayge's photos show the talented apple doesn't fall far from the tree. But, despite her obvious talent, the viewpoint is all kid.

Who else would even notice a dead butterfly on the sidewalk and see the beauty in it? Or the gorgeous texture of the blue crab below? (Click on any of these images to see a larger, more clear version of it. The blue crab in particular can't be appreciated in such a small size.)

But my personal favorite is the ceiling fan in her bedroom, below. Only a kid would spot that and find it interesting. Or someone who hasn't lost the ability to see like a child.

So, thank you, Sayge, for sharing your "little gems,'' as your mom describes them, with us. Keep shooting and email us more images anytime!

This just in - more from downtown Dade City

I really will be posting artwork from areas other than Dade City ... but I happened to have quite a few of these digital images from when I was Main Street director. Some of these images are available for sale at Cafe Press. All proceeds will be donated to the art program at Centennial Middle School. Here is the link - www.cafepress.com/centennial_art

Mofe Fun Images from Downtown Dade City

They were all so good I didn't want to leave any of them out.

So here is part two of the downtown Dade City art project by Centennial Middle School art students. A third installment is in the works. And, if the school approves, we would like to make these images available on Cafe Press as a fundraiser for the school's art program. More details on that to come.

Meanwhile, enjoy these beautiful images and consider submitting some of your own child artist's work!

Historic Downtown Dade City - From a Child's View

Downtown Dade City is the kind of small town that artists and photographers love to document. It's quaint, charming and historic, with obvious artistic appeal. But set a group of middle school students out in the Courthouse Square with paints and brushes and you get something truly special.

Colorful, vibrant images, some detailed, some simplistic, no two pieces are alike, even of the same building or block. Particularly striking were the many unique renderings of the early 1900s courthouse at the center of town, which many of the students chose as their focal point, with stunning results.

These images were all created about two years ago by students in Lesli Platt's art class at Centennial Middle School in Dade City. Ms. Platt has since brought students to St. Leo University and downtown Zephyrhills to paint. Earlier this year, her students got their first "gallery" show - at the recently opened Uptown Gallery, run by a group of local artists in Dade City.

That show ended in February but Ms. Platt is hoping to do more. To read more about Ms. Platt, her students and her passion for showcasing their work, click here. We hope to post more of her students' work here soon!