The Painting for a Purpose auction raises $9,000 to give grants to Portland students’ projects to improve their community.

For a student with a specific idea about how to make the community better, $500 can make a world of difference. And that’s the impetus behind Painting for a Purpose.

Teacher Naomi Marthai, Lyman Moore Middle School students Atak Natali and Divine Macibiri and teacher Rob Miller at the Painting for a Purpose auction at DiMillo’s in Portland. Photos by Amy Paradysz

“We’re raising money with these fantastically painted items to put into a philanthropy fund for kids in Portland public schools to apply for grants to make a difference in the community,” said Tina Edwards, co-founder of Painting for a Purpose. “We know students have great ideas, and we want to give them some money to get them started.”

Hundreds of people had a hand in the $9,000 raised at the recent Painting for a Purpose auction at DiMillo’s. Artists featured at the annual auction are high school students, retirees and professional artists – anyone willing to contribute a piece.

Andrew M. Cook of Lobstering Is an Art contributed his iconic lobster design. Dave Lennox of Rockler Woodworking cut 40 wooden lobsters in Cook’s design, each of them nearly 2 feet tall. Contributing artists took the woodcuts in 40 different directions, resulting in some passionate bidding.

“I am not an artist, but I have learned to color between the lines,” said Randall Wade Thomas, who contributed a floorcloth painted with sailboats.

One of the 14 grants awarded last year was for an initiative by Lyman Moore Middle School students Atak Natali and Divine Macibiri, who wanted to fix up the playground at the Front Street Apartments in Portland. Encouraged by a $500 grant from Painting for a Purpose, Natali and Macibiri spoke to the Portland Housing Authority, which oversees the apartment development, to get the rest of the funds needed to revitalize the park. Then they partnered with the Maine Red Claws to get new basketball equipment, which the authority agreed to install.

“It was kind of scary and nerve- wracking to present to all those important people,” Macibiri said. “But I learned that if you have a big idea, don’t be afraid to make a change.”

“It was dead before,” Natali said. “It was not a welcoming or safe place. But now there are new faces, new smiles.”

“Painting for a Purpose is an exciting program full of possibilities for the students of Portland public schools to take their creativity and energy to another level to do great things,” said Jeanne Crocker, Portland superintendent of schools.

Amy Paradysz is a freelance writer and photographer based in Scarborough. She can be reached at:

amyparadysz@gmail.com

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