Can a blog be beautiful? Absolutely, and especially if it’s Ashley Cecil’s The Painting Journalist blog. Ashley got in touch with me to let me know about the blog, which is a combination of art and function. As she describes it:
Welcome to the marriage of painting and social activism. I’ve been creating art ever since discovering that my mom’s Chanel lipstick made a great oil pastel. Through formal art education and years of professional experience, the adult version of this vocation has evolved into my own job title, “painting journalist.” I’m addressing philanthropic issues utilizing painting as my medium of communication. Much like a photojournalist, I travel to locations/events of cultural interest and capture them, only with my brush.
Ashley sells the artwork that she features on the site, and a portion of the proceeds are donated to nonprofits that are related to the topic of the painting.
Ashley’s description and sketches of the aftermath of a murder in her neighborhood is especially compelling to read and view. She is incredibly talented. If your organization is looking for a piece of art to auction off, or if you would just like to decorate your home or office with artwork that is more than just a pretty picture, take a look at her site.
Technorati Tags: art, social change, painting
Nedra helps nonprofits and public agencies create positive change on health and social issues through social marketing and transmedia storytelling strategies at Weinreich Communications since founding the company in 1995. She helps organizations make a difference for the populations they serve by strategically designing programs that draw on state-of-the-art behavior change techniques, digital media approaches and the power of stories. 
What a wonderful blog. Thanks for pointing us to it.