Dear Sisters

This detail of original art above is being auctioned at Crystal Booth's Cancer Treatment Fundraiser.  She is a single mom with 2 children and NO health insurance. Meet Crystal Booth.

My poetry and visual art was actually inspired by the Dear Mary or Jari Project and the poetry of Lauren Zuniga.  Her work is nothing short of phenominal.  She is a true talent with her performance poety that you can see on Youtube on her website.  Please check out http://www.laurenzuniga.com/

This is one detail panel of the piece that includes 8 panels all together.  I show the entire piece below with the poem and process for making the piece.

I titled the piece "Dear Sisters" and I will donate my visual art with poetry for the auction for Crystal Booth Cancer Treatment Fundraiser on October 2nd, 2010 at Redline Jiu Jitsu in Edmond, Oklahoma.  http://www.redlinejiujitsu.com/

Event Poster by Jennifer Gray

If you would like to donate to the Crystal Booth Cancer Treatment Fundraiser, please visit:  http://www.redlinebjj.com/ ** You can still bring Art & Vendor Gift Certificate Donations to the Silent Auction the day of the event!!  Jennifer Gray will have extra auction forms on hand that day!!
Date:  October 2nd, 2010, Time:  5-10 p.m., Where:  Redline Jiu Jitsu, 745 Enterprise Drive, Edmond, OK, 73013.

Jennifer Gray is the Host and Organizer of this beautiful opportunity to save a life.  She can be contacted on her facebook as well at:  http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1529329718&ref=ts

This is a view of the art on a Vintage Half Door Panel. 

I started with the poetry first. I have included the text for easier reading. I then designed a vision for sections of the poetry. 

“Dear Sisters”

By: Tiffany Bohrer
What do we say when we lay fear to rest? We start by saying thank you…

Dear Sisters,


Thank you for the flowers

And the potato salad

At the funeral for fear

With the bones of secrets

Professing their piety as a condolence

for a truth they do not understand

Thank you for your political tourniquet

And your diplomatic severance

Between patriots and pirates

With their mouths spewing lukewarm regret

And swaggering disapproval

Thank you for the quiet turnkeys

That soothe a sorority of panic

Unlock garages

And dissolve a necklace of smog

Fashioned from tailpipes

Thank you for pulling back the curtain

with a gentle smile

And resuscitating with a laugh

… that heals

Thank you for pulling the pin

from the serenade grenade

who sing hymns of entitlement

leaving a legacy of ghosts

for daughters with make believe aristocracy

Thank you for sounding the alarm

And showing the way

For those who ache for purpose

And wear cleats on their peace

Painting their sisters with a dove feather

Dipped in their own blood

Red letters of judgment

Scripting a savage badge of betrayal

While they stamp out the silhouettes

In a land of medicated madness

Spoiling sprees

And pampered creative sterility

Thank you for grace and curiosity

And the courage to forgive

Thank you for the expedition of blue ribbons

And the shield of honor

To dissolve a curse in the dodge


Thank you for the sword

That wields the execution

Of a calibrated damnation

Thank you for vaulting the catalyst

Chiseling the power of reckoning

Slapping the apathetic

Waking up the followers

of the local anesthetic

Revolutionizing our gnawed limbs

Excavating paths for our prosthetics

Scrawling the plot to imbue our heroes

Beyond your ballots

And into our living rooms

Thank you for sugar and spice

Seasoning our strength

And lighting the match

Committed to the flame

To torch the light

Keeping a promise to see

and be our Pioneer Souls.

Special Thanks goes to Midtown for the use of their old door that was cut in half.  (You can see how the other half was used by keeping up with our blog - it will be a really cool half wall that will disguise the gas stove with a vintage front)  I used an old door that came from our current renovation project here in Midtown. Learn more about the Midtown Renaissance at  http://midtownr.com/  and
http://www.facebook.com/MidtownRenaissance?ref=ts

Steps for making Piece:
1.  Design Images on Computer - I call this process "Digital Collage"
2.  Print images on acrylic paper that has a textured weave.  It creates brilliant color and gives the look of a hand painted canvas.
3.  I used archival glue to adhere the prints onto the wooden door panel that was cut in half.
4.  Paint with latex. White was used here for this piece.
5.  Screw in hardware with wood screws and sand screws for a distressed look.

6.  Sand the paint on the edges with 38 grit sandpaper. 

The finishing touch is a certificate of authenticity with signature.  I will deliver piece this week. 

If you would like to bid on this piece for a great cause that saves a life, join us at Redline Jiu Jitsu,
745 Enterprise Dr. Ste. 190, Edmond, OK 73013 on October 2nd from 5-10 p.m. 

There will be an awesome concert by the band Whitefall and Matt Bowlin.  See their music videos here at UtopiaJoeTV on Youtube.  See Matt Bowlin at:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVCR3P6kmmU
and Whitefall at:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wozopO0AEHw

See you there with purpose and peace...