Happy Holidays from the Dishman Family!

I was honored to help illustrate the first of many holiday yoga ebooks by Lindsay Love. The first installment of our Holiday Yoga series is now available for *free* download! “Celebrate Yoga! A Thanksgiving Story” is a children’s story of the first Thanksgiving with illustrated yoga coloring sheets, a gratitude meditation and a Thanksgiving activity! Please share freely and enjoy!~

http://www.lovesdharma.com/CelebrateYogaThanksgiving.pdf

My friends from the Kilmer Weaver Project asked me to put together a last minute bumper sticker before they headed to the Walnut Valley Flat Picking Championships. I had the stickers printed at Trade Net Publishing. The turnaround was fast and the quality was great! So satisfying to see the design in physical form.

I was honored to be asked by my friend Ashley Froelich to participate in ArtBra KC 2011. ArtBra KC is a unique and fun auction that celebrates the bra as an empowering symbol of triumph over breast cancer, and as a work-of-art that can benefit those breast cancer patients just beginning, or still on, the journey.

Ashley and I met at Emporia State University and since graduation she has become a Kansas Territory Manager for Image Skincare. Ashley and I teamed up to create this art bra and have titled our piece “HerLight.” It symbolizes the spirt that remains after the being challenged by breast cancer. Sewn into the bra is a great new material called electroluminescent wire. Watch the clip below to see some different views and the bra in action.

I wanted to dedicate my portion of the project to all those affected by cancer. My father was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2008. He is stable now but my family has been forever changed by this experience. In a strange way I feel lucky to have been reminded of my fathers mortality. It has taught me that our lives are a precious gift, it’s very important to be good to yourself and love one another before it is too late.

Salva and O’Renick Marketing located in Kansas City’s 1810 Gallery have allowed The Parisole Arts to host a monthly exhibit during First Fridays called Community CART. The benefit’s purpose is to raise awareness, art donations, and funds for art therapy and Kansas City charities who care for or support abused, neglected, and ill youth. The exhibits are free for all ages and feature live art demonstrations, entertainment, and local artisan booths.

Each participating artist is required to donate an art work to the featured charity group. This May I participated in the event and donated the painting above to Children’s Mercy Hospital. Also 10% of each art work sold goes to help fund the Parisole Arts mission to help the Kansas City community. The event was a great success, not only was it fun I was able to meet some great like minded individuals. I know I will be participating again next month so I hope to see you all there!

Yesterday at The University of Arkansas I had the fortune of seeing His Holiness the Dalai Lama Speak about Non-Violence in the New Century. It was truly a great experience. This is a quick sketch I made while listening to the speech. There were far too many things to share so here is another great quote from the speech. “Today destroy your neighbor, destroy yourself.”-Dalai Lama

See more from the photo shoot here!