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Painting the AT with Love!

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VOTE FOR YOUR FAVE TRAIL ANGELS HERE!

I’m Laura Marie Blankenship (LaMB), and I’m an artist and a section hiker. When I solo hiked the first 469 miles of the AT last year, from GA home, I met the kindest people along the way. The sense of community, the absolute beauty, the kindness from strangers, was unparalleled by anything in my “regular” life. The Appalachian Trail is truly a journey, a pilgrimage of the soul, and everyone I met showed me a raw honesty and pureness that comes from being on your own voyage to the center of your soul, helping others, and doing the best you can.

The trail gave me more courage and confidence, not only as a woman or as a hiker, but as an artist. On the trail my name is "Brave" and I've taken this persona into my "regular" life. I decided not return to my other jobs when I got back. For the first time last fall, I took a huge leap and did my art full time! It has been amazing. Before I left I was substitute teaching, waiting tables, and painting musicians live at shows. Now I’m live painting full time and I want to add more tools to my toolbox. I want to get some mural experience. And that’s where this project comes in.

Trail angels and businesses are so important. They are a crucial part of what keeps us going. They are a long, cool drink of water at your thirstiest. They are businesses who give hikers work who didn’t leave with all the funds they needed. They are outfitters who give hikers good deals on merch and priceless advice. I met souls who gave me free food, cold drinks, hard-earned advice, and most of all, companionship and a lust for hiking and being alive. Solo hiking is lonely and at times, scary. A lot of hikers quit. I found this amazing sense of courage and confidence and I only did the first quarter, hiking home. We need trail angels to keep doing what they do best, to keep up the spirits of the brave souls who embark on their challenging, life-changing journeys, to keep them going when the going gets tough.

So I want to pay it forward to these unique and wonderful souls who dedicate their lives and businesses to helping hikers.

"Let Your Love Grow Tall", mini mural example by LaMB.

This summer, "Brave" LaMB (me!) is hiking the 537 miles from one tip of Virginia to the other. Armed with eco-friendly exterior paints by AFM SafeCoat, she is stopping at 2 favorite VA trail angels and businesses to paint them each a FREE mural up to a 54 square foot mural, valued at $2,500.

To be an integral part of helping launch this artisan project that supports the trail, and gives back to those who give the most, get yourself some artsy leggings ($75), OR a custom Brave Buff ® ($27)
both printed with LaMB’s painting “Let Your Love Grow Tall”, or score limited edition signed LaMB Fine Art prints autographed by the musicians of the shows they were painted at ($55) (featuring prints from Annabelle’s Curse and Earth By Train); donate at the reward level you want! (You can see all reward levels when you click "donate"!)

 

Donate now and receive sweet artsy gear or original paintings and prints! Each donation level has a different reward. Click "donate now" to see rewards and be an integral part of the project.

Vote for 2 of these trail angels to receive a free mural:

*Miss Janet's Van, Everywhere, VA

*Four Pines Hostel, Catawba, VA

*Woodchuck's Hostel, Damascus, VA

*Three Springs Hostel, Vesuvius, VA

*It's a God Thing/One Way Ministries, Damascus, VA

 *There was a 6th Trail Angel But They Asked to Be Removed :-(

2 will win a free mural! (Only because of limited time and resources. What the future holds, "Brave" LaMB can't say, and would love to continue painting murals for anyone who wants one. But this year, only 2 will receive a mural by LaMB Fine Art.)


Voting ends at midnight the morning of June 29th. I will depart July 1, hike the length of Virginia, meeting the TWO WINNERS of free murals along the way. As I do, I will check out their location, clean the surface to be painted, and talk about inspiration. The murals will all be inspired by their recipients, and be focused around the theme of oneness with nature, growth, and love.  After meeting each mural recipient, I'll work on the mural sketches during downtime at camp. [For more info on free murals for mural recipients, go HERE].

After I reach the end, I will hop in my van-turned artmobile, and stop at each winner's mural location and get to work! Free murals will be finished by September 10th.


My food is sponsored by Whole Health Food Center in Abingdon, VA. My shoes are sponsored by Mount Rogers Outfitters of Damascus, VA. To watch a video of live music painting visit www.lambfineart.com

Where the money goes:



No matter how you contribute, know that you are helping:

1- share love and beauty through ART on the trail, inspiring and uplifting those on their spiritual journeys in an environmentally responsible way

2- helping me realize my dream of creating a sustainable travelling business, and helping me live more efficiently! There is going to be a BED in the back of the artmobile so that I have a place to stay while I paint! I have always dreamed of living in my van and this is a way I can do it and help businesses near and dear to my heart.

3- helping me create consciously-made products featuring beautiful artwork that shares the love and beauty in practical, sustainable ways! (You are the FIRST to get this new PRACTICAL, beautiful, limited edition gear--The Custom Brave Buff ® and the USA-made LaMB "Let Your Love Grow" Leggings) which will be sold in the future at www.mkt.com/lambfineart) if they don't sell out here first!

4- giving back to some of the kindest and most giving people in the world: businesses and Trail Angels along the AT. The trek on the trail is a pilgrimmage for the soul, and many of its pilgrims travel lighter than we can even imagine (both physically, financially, and in terms of preparedness). Trail Angels and AT businesses provide refuge, work, and invaluable advice and encouragement.


My goal is $11,000 to cover the cost of expenses associated with mural painting, paying assistants, turning my old van into a livable art car (or getting a better one), and paying for the rewards. 50% of any profits raised beyond my goal will be donated to HikeforMentalHealth.org !

All rewards, with the exception of the sponsored murals and LIVE music paintings^, will be delivered by December 2016.

^if you need a live music painting at an event before December, contact me at 757. 648. 0490. and we will talk!

ALL sponsored murals (The Eternal Vagabond Reward Level) will be completed by June 2017.

Reward levels vary, but NO MATTER WHAT, you are part of a great cause that gives back to those who give the most & guaranteed to increase your joy level!  Thanks for being an important part of this project!

Donations 

  • Sherri Jessee
    • $40 
    • 7 yrs
  • Steve Lindeman
    • $30 (Offline)
    • 8 yrs
  • Bonefire Smokehouse Send-Off Party
    • $223 (Offline)
    • 8 yrs
  • White Birch Juice
    • $25 (Offline)
    • 8 yrs
  • Vera Hurst
    • $30 (Offline)
    • 8 yrs

Organizer

Laura Marie Blankenship
Organizer
Abingdon, VA

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