Giving Back

Every once in awhile a question is put before you, and you are faced with a dilemma, of how to react to said question.  A few months ago, a question appeared in a news feed on Facebook from my college alma mater,Wesley College, asking if any alumni would be interested in showing their art work at the annual Arts in the Parlor event.  I wanted to respond back right away with a "Yes, I am very interested, sign me up".  However, I decided to go home and think about it, because it would mean gathering pieces together, framing them, arranging a babysitter for the evening, etc...  When I got home, I could not get it out of my head, I realized I had not shown my work in an art show since my early 20s, and I had just watched a TED talk with Amanda Palmer about the art of asking.  I knew that I needed to go ahead and respond and say, "Yes, I am interested".  I mean what is the worst that could happen, they say, "Thank you, but we already have our artists," or "We are sorry but your work doesn't fit with the other work". Now, this isn't what they would actually say, it is what the fear in my head was saying they could possibly reply.  So I decided that this is the year, to put the fear out of my head, and move forward (if you are a regular follower of my blog, are you starting to feel like this is a recurring message?).  So, what did they say, they said "Yes".

And what followed was an amazing evening at the 4th annual Arts in the Parlor.  Not only did I get to showcase my work in a beautiful setting at the historic Schwartz Center (Dover, Delaware), but I also had the pleasure of witnessing first hand how the funds raised at this event benefit the growth of Wesley College students and its' community.  You see, Arts in the Parlor is a unique fundraising event that was created four years ago, that showcases artistic talents of students, staff, alumni and friends from the local community and benefits Wesley Student scholarships.



"This could be the Holy Grail of Motorcycles," as explained by my husband



Being a graduate of '09, I was able to see just how much transformation the college has seen in just a few years.  As I mentioned, this evening showcases artistic talents, that included a various assortment of the music and art programs.  It was so wonderful to see how far the music program has grown in such a short time since my graduation under the instruction of Dr. David Laganella and Dr. James Wilson.


 An added bonus was seeing the Wesley College Gospel Choir directed by Ms. Karla Jones, I was ready to be deep in worship at church with their renditions of "Mighty God" and "You Reign".






The evening was filled with so much talent, between the art work that awaited everyone's viewing in the second and third floor gallery rooms, and all the musical talent and the humorous poetry readings by Mr. James Rogin. It was truly a remarkable event and to think that I was afraid to answer the call to show my work.  I am so thankful that I chose to be a part of this celebration.




You see not only did I get to show my artwork, this was an opportunity for me to help raise money for students who are in need of scholarships so that they can continue their studies and succeed at their dreams.




Love sharing this moment with my son



Discussing art and motorcycles...while enjoying my paleo plate
(Special thanks to Steven Lewis, Director of Dining Services
and the chef for making my husband and I paleo friendly plates)

Wesley College in the Spring

What was also amazing about being a part of Arts in the Parlor was realizing that this community is still giving back to me. I deeply encourage you to make a contribution to your alma mater, you never know what a difference it will make in someone's life, as well as, your own. For information on Arts in the Parlor, please contact, Cathy Nosel via email: cathy.nosel@wesley.edu

If you would like to make a donation to Wesley College, please feel free to call (302)736-2467. Or email: Institutional Advancement, Wesley College, 120 North State Street, Dover, DE 19901.