OUR MISSION

The Global Art Initiative's mission is to break the poverty cycle for disabled artists in Third World Countries. We are a non-profit focused on education and the sale of original artwork to benefit handicapped artists globally. We engage children and adults in art projects geared to developing an understanding of disability and the awareness that artistic ability is not limited by a disability.  Our hope is that through their experience with the Global Art Initiative, participants will take compassionate action, becoming donors in the larger shared humanitarian project.

Mosaic Festival

Garland, Texas - October 3, 2009

Children who participated in crutch painting
The Global Art Initiative participated in the Mosaic Multicultural Festival of Art, Dance and Music in Garland, TX, on October 3, 2009. We were invited by the Mosaic Chairperson, Martha Melaku. Martha provided us with a generous amount of space to exhibit art and to facilitate crutch painting by children.
Sigrid Mae Maruyama and Susan Maruyama setup display of paintings
Pictured above are some of the children who participated in crutch painting. Our volunteer photographer Sigrid Mae Maruyama took this photo and several others that appear here.

Sigrid Mae and Susan Maruyama, pictured right, helped setup the artwork and assisted with crutch painting, and our videographer Dr. Yoshio Maruyama captured video that will be used to produce an upcoming promotional DVD. The Maruyama family truly made our exhibit and the crutch painting possible.

Dr. Fred Sorrells and Lindsay Parks hold painting by Herold Alvares
While we participated in the festival for several reasons, to share our vision for the disabled worldwide, to sell art to support disabled artists and to teach children about people with disabilities, we gained much more than that. We met some wonderful people such as Lindsay Parks, a missionary to the Ukraine pictured with Dr. Fred Sorrells on the left. Lindsay and Fred are holding an acrylic on canvas by Herold Alvares from Haiti. Several of the people we met are willing to help us by collecting crutches.
Technology Coordinator Don Bristow, International Coordinator Dr. Fred Sorrells, volunteer Susan Maruyama and videographer Dr. Yoshio Maruyama
Pictured standing in front of our booth are Technology Coordinator Don Bristow, International Coordinator Dr. Fred Sorrells, volunteer Susan Maruyama and videographer Dr. Yoshio Maruyama.