Drawings For Donations
I drew 65 postcards commissioned by 59 donors raising $1,204 in donations for the COVID-19 Artist Trust Relief Funds earlier this year. In May 2020, Governor Jay Inslee issued a "stay-at-home" order until the end of the month, so I wanted to keep my mind busy by diving into some creativity and raising funds for a good cause during this pandemic. It was humbling to see the outpouring of all the love for this special art project. Thanks to all of my friends and family for the support.
The inspiration for this project came from what I was seeing in the community, especially what I was seeing from my cousin Evalynn Romano who was helping the UW custodians with surprise breakfasts. I felt if she was able to take time to contribute, I could do the same. So I tested it out and asked my close group of friends on GroupMe if they would donate for a "postcard drawing" from me and my friend Hua Yu did just that. I received $1 via PayPal for my first postcard drawing. That was enough validation for me. I chose a non-profit in the Artist Trust who helped local artists in Seattle. I created a personalized Google Form where potential donors learn about the art project and fill out a form with their name, address, a drawing prompt, and how much they wanted to donate for a postcard (e.g. $1, $5, $10, $20, and Other). After submitting, they would get an automatic personalized email with information to send the donations via PayPal or Venmo. I even got a couple of physical checks. It was a super simple set up.



And that is how it started. I posted a call for postcard art commissions on Facebook and Instagram with links to the #DrawingsForDonations Google Form and waited. I was nervous in anticipation. Were people going to contribute? Was this a stupid idea? I began second-guessing myself. But within a couple of hours, I received several submissions. And throughout the month, they continued thankfully flowing in. The whole plan was to complete some postcard drawings, post them on Facebook and Instagram with links to the form, tagging the donor with a personal message on the post — rinse and repeat. The postcard drawings received 1,137 reactions and 143 comments across Facebook and Instagram. The more I shared the artwork, the more submissions I would get. It was working! This became a perfect way to fill my time while stuck at home.
The heart of this art project was the variety of drawing prompts I received from all of the donors. Each submission was entertaining, intimidating, and encouraging in their own ways. It was a challenge forcing me to push my creative boundaries for what I could draw.
From drawing animals and flowers…




…to scenic views and family portraits…




…to birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and even baby reveals.




The drawing prompts were all over the place, which was fun and kept me on my toes. I have talked about my love for drawing before. And each time I looked at the blank postcard, I saw the progression from laying it down with a pencil, to making it permanent with ink, and then adding some life to the postcard with colored pencils — such a satisfying experience. With every postcard I mailed out, it put a smile on my face and I hope it showed.
Sharing creativity with my friends and family was an enjoyable experience. It gave me a chance to catch up with so many folks in this process. I really felt connected, even if it was just text back and forth or hopping on a quick FaceTime call. During this pandemic, it was good to make those connections. And if my postcard doodles was a chance to symbolically visit the homes of my friends and family, that in itself was all worth it. I will continue to find similar art projects to do moving forward and I am excited to see where this creative journey takes me. Be on the lookout.
Thank you for all the support 😊💌
Angie Acosta, Alexa Alejandria, Sarah Allen, Lay Brand, Manda Brown, Nicole Bryant, Thu Bui, Michelle Dearth, Joey Delovino, Mely Delovino, Cherelyn Espina, Jeremy Flores, Adam Florsheim, Morgan Fraser, AJ Ghambari, Ken Goldstein, Eitan Greene, Lee Griffin, Linda Hong, Danielle Kelly, Pamela Lacson, Anna Hoi Leung, Suzie Lew, Anthony Lista, Amanda Matlock, Ansellino Mena, Natala Menezes, Daryn Nakhuda, Chi Nguyen, Phong Nguyen, Dillon Nishimoto, Minh Pham, Anthony Raimondi, George Raimondi, Leonora Raimondi, Eva Romano, Evalynn Romano, Dave Schappell, Jessica Schauberger, Katie Shipley, Jasmeet Singh, Marissa Dogeagle Smith, Bryon Sunga, Gina Sunga, Honorio Sunga, Jonathan Sunga, Leonida Sunga, Marie Sunga, Elenita Taganna, Renata Taylor, Lyndi Thompson, Thu Vo, Amber Waisanen, Philip Whitman, Ryan Wong, Hua Yu, Irene Yu, Tun Yu.
$1,204 for 65 Postcards from 59 Donors

































































#DrawingsForDonations Postcards in the wild
If you received a postcard, I would love to see where in the wild they live today. Feel free to email me a photo and I can add it to the gallery below.








