LATEST ENTRY
- A Place for Warmth and Wishes
- By Sean T. Kelly on 2009.12.31 \ No Comments \ Filed under: Birdhouses, Projects, Wildlife
I just received this photo from a new (birdhouse) owner in Bend, Oregon. It always pleases me to see photos from happy homeowners and this is the first I’ve seen yet with snow!
Happy new year to all. Here’s to a new year (and decade) of peace, joy, and economic recovery.
- Birdhouses: Single-page Flickr Gallery
- By Sean T. Kelly on 2009.07.27 \ No Comments \ Filed under: Birdhouses, Birds, Projects
A number of people have recently asked me to create a single-page view of some of our birdhouses. Those people writing about the work, I suppose, want better access to photos, even after I’ve pulled birdhouses already purchased out of the store. And buyers have told me they find having easy online access to images of their birdhouses convenient for sharing with friends.
So, here you go: Tsunami Birdhouses on Flickr
I’ll try to try to leave the following gallery relatively static, but will try to tidy up the store and remove products no longer available, on a regular basis. Please let me know if this is satisfactory.
- One Black Bird
- By Sean T. Kelly on 2009.07.14 \ No Comments \ Filed under: Arts & Culture, Birdhouses, Friends, partners
Orange Dogwood Bowl by Diana Fayt
I never meant this site to be categorized as a blog, so much as an information portal for our efforts in Sri Lanka. Still, from time to time I’m compelled to highlight a political or human rights issue in Sri Lanka that consumes me or to describe for a few people in the United States the wonderful sides of Sri Lanka: the birds, the coconuts, the friendly people, the art. So many things.
Although having carried the burden of ethnic conflict for decades, and while operating under many questionable policies even now, Sri Lanka remains a place of great beauty, culture, and mystery. I personally have frequently been seduced by that side of the country, and it’s in that spirit I try to bring up the joys of the place for my American audience, which represents the majority, just ahead of my Sri Lankan audience.
I’d like to take a bit of a departure here, however, and reverse the formula.
I’m often amazed and impressed by the support that comes my way in forms practical and creative, compassionate and challenging. Usually that support comes by way of outstanding individuals who have somehow crossed my path and decided for reasons of their own that Sri Lanka (even if they don’t have a personal connection to the place) is full of bright lives looking for a new beginning. If I’m lucky, someone who I’ll intersect with will not only feel that, but will also decide to make, a connection with me that’s more personal, and even generative, where projects merge and take new shapes.
It Must Be Fayt
The most recent person to approach me in this context is a woman named Diana Fayt. She has a varied and rich genealogical history–a mix of American, Hungarian, and probably a few other ingredients. She’s well-traveled, well-educated, and from the sound of things, a damn fine cook.
But for my purposes here, I wanted to call her out for her skills as an extremely talented artist. She is what she calls a “ceramicist.” Someone who works with clay as a major medium for creating works of art that are not only functional, but original and beautiful. She has a talent and style all her own and if you check out some pictures of her work, I’m pretty sure you’d agree. (Her One Black Bird blog isn’t half bad, either.)It never ceases to astound me when someone comes forward and says something along the lines of “Hey, I LOVE the concept of the tsunami birdhouses. Please tell me more.” Or, simply, “How can I help? I don’t want anything but to show appreciation for what you’re doing and to support the progress of people who have experienced things I can’t imagine but who now might find a better way.”
That is Miss Fayt. People like her, in my view, could use a little recognition all their own, even though (or especially?) they haven’t asked for it. So if you’d like to celebrate her along with me, let me ask just this: It doesn’t matter if you’re from the U.S. or Sri Lanka, from Japan or Timbuktu, please consider sending her a thank you email. Or visit her site and just be inspired by her work. Or, perhaps, just do something to support someone else unselfishly. Someone you know, someone you don’t know, someone you want to know. It doesn’t matter.
My guess is it will be you who experiences the greatest joy.
- Is there a doctor in the house?
- By Sean T. Kelly on 2009.06.09 \ No Comments \ Filed under: Activities, Health, Human Rights, Medicine, Projects, Travel, War
Just a heads up to my friends and colleagues in the medical world…
Indi recently published a post that might appeal to doctors who have a little time to travel and volunteer their skills. Medical services are in great need for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at camps in the north. If you’re interested in helping and have the time to travel to Sri Lanka, get in touch and we can discuss it further.
Shortly before the medical post, Indi also summarized some of the main concerns of IDPs, so anyone interested might read that for some context about the population in need.
OLDER ENTRIES
- A Place for Warmth and Wishes
- By Sean T. Kelly on 2009.12.31 \ No Comments \ Filed under: Birdhouses, Projects, Wildlife
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Happy new year to all. Here’s to a new year (and decade) of peace, joy, and economic recovery.
- Birdhouses: Single-page Flickr Gallery
- By Sean T. Kelly on 2009.07.27 \ No Comments \ Filed under: Birdhouses, Birds, Projects
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A number of people have recently asked me to create a single-page view of some of our birdhouses…here you go: Tsunami Birdhouses on Flickr
- One Black Bird
- By Sean T. Kelly on 2009.07.14 \ No Comments \ Filed under: Arts & Culture, Birdhouses, Friends, partners
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If I’m lucky, someone who I’ll intersect with will not only feel that, but will also decide to make, a connection with me that’s more personal, and even generative, where projects merge and take new shapes.
- London Channel 4 News Report: IDP Camps
- By Sean T. Kelly on 2009.05.07 \ 2 Comments \ Filed under: Human Rights, Journalism, Politics, War
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Alarming video report about the situation in camps for Internally Displaced Persons from Sri Lanka’s formerly occupied Tamil Tiger territory.
- Paavima: Important Update
- By Sean T. Kelly on 2009.05.05 \ No Comments \ Filed under: Activities, P2P Rescue, Paavima, Projects, Tourism, War, Wildlife, partners
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After much “back-room” deliberation, P2P Rescue project partner Paavima has decided to, at least temporarily, put a hold on new efforts.