CALL FOR ENTRIES! Bike Art!

CALL FOR ENTRIES:

Pedaling Art at Wall Eye Gallery

May 20 – June 5, 2011

Wall Eye Gallery is looking for artists to contribute to the juried exhibition Pedaling Art, a celebration of bicycle culture through art and design. We are accepting works in all media including: photography, painting, sculpture and installation. Please submit an image of your work and a short description to info@walleyegallery.com. Include dimensions, title and media. We are looking for visual art, wearable art and crafts that have been made from recycled bike parts or that have a bike focus.

• Wednesday, March 9 & March 23, 2011, 5:00-8:00 pm: Bike part raid and art workshops at Ohio City Bicycle Co-op for those in need of parts for their submissions.

• Friday, April 8, 2011: Submission Deadline

• Saturday & Sunday, May 14 & 15, 2011: Art Drop Off

• Friday, May 20, 2011: Opening Reception

• Saturday May 21, 2011: Bike Auction/Sale/Parts Swap

Helping Hearts Fund

On Friday, February 18th from 6:00p-11:00p we will have our opening reception for it's all about the heART to help raise funds for the Helping Hearts Fund.

Heart transplantation at Cleveland Clinic is offered to patients who meet transplant criteria regardless of income or insurance. Of the 70 to 75 heart transplant patients a the clinic each year, about one-fourth lack adequate insurance coverage. However, costs for such a procedure go way beyond a hospital stay. Medication and other costs can exceed $3,500 per month. The Helping Hearts Fund was started in 2007 in response to this need. Without the Helping Hearts Fund, a transplant patient would remain in the hospital for several weeks or even months after a successful surgery because they cannot afford the first month's prescriptions. The fund also helps patients with medication costs who are waiting for a transplant. Since the start of the fund more than 50 patients have been helped.

So whether you buy a piece of art, buy tickets for a raffle, or donate directly to the fund, your generosity will help ease burdens and help many people move on to live happy healthy lives!

Read more about patients' stories, how the fund began and the source for this post.

February: Heart Health Month TIPS!

Since February is Heart Health Month and we're having the show it's all about the heART to help raise money for a good fund for heart transplant survivors, we might as well share some knowledge on keeping your heart healthy. (Please note: Although we here at Wall Eye Gallery are pretty intelligent, these tips do not replace the advice of your doctor. Unless your doctor is not very smart, then you ought to find another doctor.)

So.. here we go! Tips for a healthy heart:

1. Watch your diet. Duh. Rule of thumb - if you look at your plate and the only colors you see are shades of brown, then maybe you need to think about incorporating colorful veggies. And perhaps your intestines need an oil change.

2. Cut down on the salt. Or at least dump the typical table salt for sea salt. Not all salts are created equal and iodized table salt is stripped of the minerals we need. Go ahead, google it.

3. Alcohol in moderation. We'll leave this one be.

4. Exercise and manage your weight. Another no brainer. Goes along with "watch your diet". If going out in the snow is not what you prefer right now, then run around your house, do squats, housework, something.

5. Manage your stress. The next time you feel your stress level rise, take a moment to look at the situation: "Is anyone going to die? " "Is anyone going to get hurt?" "Do I work in an ER?" "There are other people who have it far worse than I do." You can then go to #3 if it helps. But find ways to help you wind down and make you happy. Like maybe Yoga.

6. Get some sleep. Like good, regular sleep. Not sleep on the RTA on the way to work or in between classes, or in your cubicle with your head propped on your pencil cup. We're talking actual in-your-bed-sleep.

7. Stop smoking. Not only do you turn your lungs into the Black Sludge from the Lagoon, but you harm every organ in your body and you're riding down the Disease Highway. But most importantly, your skin ages quicker and you smell.

So there you have it. 7 tips for a healthy heart! There are lots more, but we'll let this marinate for a bit.

"Put you heART, mind, intellect and soul even into your smallest acts"

Opening on Friday, February 18th from 6p-11p is it's all about the heART, a group exhibition organized by Stephanie & Joe Ayala, benefiting The Helping Hearts Fund. A portion of the exhibition sales will be donated to the fund to continue their work in helping transplant survivors and their families. There will be other ways to donate to the fund through a silent auction, raffle, or you can donate directly with a cash or check.

Featuring the work of: Joe Ayala ♥ Linda Ayala ♥ Stephanie Ayala ♥ Rhonda Cook ♥ Rick Cook ♥ Natalia Dale ♥ Stephanie Lipscomb ♥ Douglas Manry ♥ Melanie Newman ♥ Melissa Oberdoester ♥ Arabella Proffer ♥ Alejandro Rivera ♥ Dante Rodriguez ♥ Adam Schonhiutt ♥ David Szekeres ♥ Tyler Teel

The show will also be open Saturday, February 19th from 12p-4p and by appointment through February 27th.

**Photo by Natalia Dale.
(The quote in the title of this post was by Swami Sivananda [1887-1963], a Hindu spiritual teacher and Yoga master.)