In the beginning

This is a story about Cinco de Mayo, a pork butt, and a friendship — a story about chance encounters, and the things in life that go inexplicably...right.

Providence artist Shawn Kenney signed up for a cooking class last spring at Ninecooks, my base of operations in rural northwest Rhode Island. Chef Eve Ornstedt selected the Cinco de Mayo menu, which featured her spin on Mexican food, including a slow-simmered pork dish.

The pork needed to be trimmed, and Shawn volunteered to do this. I relegated him, and the butt, to a side table, while the rest of the class worked at the large butcher block counter. Shawn turned his head to watch something Eve was demonstrating... the knife slipped... well, some First Aid was involved.

Shawn finished the class, had a doctor look at the finger in question (no further medical intervention required, thanks to my husband Ted's ministrations), and, improbably, from that day on Shawn and I became great friends.

Fast forward five months to Pawtucket Artists Open Studios, September 2006. Shawn invited us to visit his studio, and Ted and I were eager to see his artwork. Nestled in among the paintings and drawings I spied four small pieces, all 4-inch by 6-inch paintings on board. Each was of a food item, like the garlic in the painting above. Shawn does a painting every day — a warm-up before moving on to larger work in the studio.

I asked if the little food paintings were for sale, but Shawn already had promised them to the Providence Art Club's Little Pictures holiday show. "I'd love the garlic [painting in the photo above] for my kitchen," I told him, "if you ever change your mind."

Later that weekend Shawn emailed to say that yes, he would sell me the painting, but he'd had an idea. He'd like to donate a portion of the sale of all of his food paintings to organizations working towards hunger relief. Would I help him?

Hmmmmmm. Ninecooks has a long involvement in issues involving hunger and nutrition. I thought about it for a nanosecond, before agreeing to do whatever I could!

And that's how "Will Paint for Food" was born.

The food paintings sold like hotcakes at the Art Club exhibit, and we were able to make our first donation in December, just a couple of months after our first conversation about this project. The paintings spawned three collections of note cards and a limited edition print, and a portion of proceeds from the sale of all of these items will go towards hunger relief efforts locally and across the country.

Please join us! Buy art, buy note cards — both right here on this site — and spread the word.

It's a pretty tasty way to help end hunger.

Comments

[rupert]

For a holiday present, my staff commissioned Shawn to make a small painting of my morning addiction: Dunkin Donuts, extra large size (known to aficionados as a Great One). It's a fabulous work of art and I am so glad it is also doing good.

[Lucia]

These cards are delicious!!! And calorie-free! This collaboration is great. I'm especially pleased to see that Heifer International is a recipient group - I've supported their work for years. When I had an opportunity to buy these cards chez Lydia, I snapped up three boxes pronto.

[Jeanne]

These cards are the most wonderful artwork,, I bought a set of each for Christmas and framed individuals and groupings for gifts,, everyone loved them,, thanks so much!!

[marianne]

What a wonderful idea, and what wonderful paintings. Shawn is very talented. My husband is a well known illustrator and fine arts artist also living in Rhode Island. He started a painting a day blog at my instigation last December so he could get practice in with oil paint again towards future major works. He normally illustrates in acrylics and watercolour. SO what has this got to do with 'will paint for food'? Well, he had a great time painting vegetables and fruits before turning almost exclusively to landscape work.

His blog is: http://bobsartdujour.blogspot.com/

I think you're doing a wonderful thing with this project. I'd rather support something like this than some of those swanky highend 'charities' that are questionable as to where the money goes.

Cheers
Marianne

[Shawn]

thanks for stopping by, marianne-

the site's a work in progress but the daily studies have been a wonderful way to give back to the community. they feed my larger paintings, too!

best wishes & happy painting-

[nevia987]

Students in most of the cooking schools prefer hands-on approach to learning. Students learn to cook exotic cuisines. The cooking classes are followed by dinner of the food cooked by students along with a glass of wine.

http://www.culinaryschoolsprograms.com/