Friday, December 5, 2008

My heart is golden and so is yours.

If you are new to this blog please refer to my post, May our worlds collide for any background information you may need to make sense of the events that will be expressed in the following post.

I had a friend named Will Boyd, he was really sick, his heart was failing and he was in medical debt. In October I heard about all of this and I felt compelled to make a difference in a small way, just on my own. I decided I could help by donating 20% of the proceeds from my art sales through my Etsy shop to his health care fund. I wanted to give small amounts of $5.00 and $8.00 dollars over the course of the month; that was my simple plan.

I also happen to have an amazing group of friends. Friends in my local community and from MySpace and Facebook. Friends from around the country and around the globe.These friends were very moved by my blog post regarding Will. They were also moved by my Facebook and MySpace bulletins and memos asking for help on his behalf. They rose to the challenge and put skepticism and doubt aside and gladly offered their support and help. They donated column inches in their blogs to promote my Etsy shop and my donation goals for Will's cause.They donated their own paintings, giving either all or part of the proceeds to his health care fund. My friends told their friends, through additional blogs and bulletins. My friends also held Will in their thoughts and prayers with love and concern. These friends bought my works from my Etsy shop during the month of October in order to help Will. Just through this, I/we raised $245 in October which I then donated to help offset Will's medical debts.

I think we felt connected, helpful, and empowered. We were happy to be a part of a grass roots movement to take care of one of our own. We were working under the concepts of idealism, hope, and trust.

Well, last night I received an email that shook me to my core. An email that for a moment made me doubt my judgement and doubt my good nature. Unfortunately, my friend Will Boyd exaggerated his health issues. His heart was not about to fail. He now claims to have Bi-polar disorder and things just spiraled out of control. You can read his apology here at the website. http://loveisone.org/

So, our worlds collided and got bigger and bigger, and unfortunately our trust was broken and our hearts were abused and I am sorry I dragged you all into this mess. However, I did get a refund of the $245 dollars that I donated to Will's health care fund, as well as a personal apology email from Will. I am in the process of returning any money that was given to me from other artists from their sales to benefit Will's cause. The remaining money that I had donated as a result of my Etsy sales for the month of October will now be donated to the Humane Society of the United States. So that we can all still feel good about our actions in October. If you bought a painting from me through my Etsy shop in October I thank you sincerely, your heart is big and I appreciate your willingness to give to a stranger and I hope you are enjoying my art. Know that your 20% has now been given to the Humane Society "to stop animal cruelty and suffering wherever it occurs" and I hope you feel good about your donation.

We have big hearts, and I don't regret that. I hope you don't either.
I hope you know how proud I am to be a part of such a wonderful community of friends and artists. Your caring and generosity inspired me in October and continues to do so. I won't let anyone take that away from me. I hope you won't either.

Thank you for your understanding.
Love,
Megan
*****************************

For those who don't know, my Etsy store has been fully restocked with new small works just in time for the holidays and I am offering free shipping through the 7th of December. Please visit my shop, Art Maven. www.artmaven.etsy.com

pictured above : The Wheat Fields
6x9" Mixed media on paper $25.00
www.artmaven.etsy.com

9 comments:

  1. The heart is deceitful above all things..

    http://chemicalfactory.blogspot.com/2008/11/heart-is-deceitful-above-all-things.html

    ..but I think that yours is pure & true.

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  2. I agree. You responded in the best way you know how to make a difference. We all love you for that. :)

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  3. As the owner of now seven pets the Human Society is always a worthy cause and I'm eying a few of your new pieces as a late Christmas present to myself as I am now a official art collector since purcahsing one your gorgeous works. :) Your big heart and generosity are great quality's and in this world those quality's can be hard to find but are so needed.

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  4. Wow, what a series of events. Your heart got a twist of plot but the ending's the same and you did something good. It's an encouraging and inspired story as it is. Great choice with the Humane Society, too.
    Thanks Megan,

    Cody

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  5. Hey Megan!
    You definitely know how to make the best of a situation, and I couldn't agree with you more.

    Like I said before, I am sure that all of those animals, and the people who work with them, will greatly appreciate the donation.

    I am loving your new work too!
    The new textures are great and the colors too. Can't wait to see how your work evolves :)

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  6. Megan that is a great thing you are doing. Human society Will appreciate it.

    I love your new work. You are very talented artist.

    You do have a big heart.
    Hugs
    your friend
    Joshua
    :)

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  7. Hey, pretty lady.

    Thanks for your heart. I'm sure no one with any faculties of reasoning could possibly be upset with you for what happened. It goes to show your motivation toward creating positivity, which remained unshaken when you learned about having been deceived, and redirected the funds toward another amazing cause.

    I wonder about the sentence where you say that Will "exaggerated his health issues." I think he certainly exaggerated his *physical* health issues, but his *mental* health issues have not been addressed.

    I think Will, to have done such a thing, is certainly a very sick man. If I'd been able to contribute to his fund, I wouldn't be upset now to see you asking him to take that money and go sit down with a good psych doctor for as many hours as it would buy. Will certainly *is* sick, just not in the way we'd previously thought. Mental illness is, in my opinion, just as seriously as physical illness.

    Thanks for what you do every day when you wake up and decide to continue being Megan Chapman!

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  8. Hey Everybody-

    Thank you for your kind encouraging words of understanding and support.
    I love animals and I am pleased to be able to make that donation on everyone's behalf.

    Next week, an update on
    "Fire and Noise..."

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  9. My boyfriend bought a painting from you. I'm friends with Elizabeth. Will's ...now ex-fiance...and he enjoys it! Sending money to humane society is a great use for it. I volunteer at our local one in oxford, ms all the time.

    thanks for your work :)

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