The showcase will be in the Ridgewood School Zero Waste Store on the first floor of Hatch. Proceeds raised will be donated to Project Woman.
A member of the teen service group Bringing Awareness to Students (BATS), McCutcheon met Project Woman staff at one of their events and was inspired to approach BATS adult ally/advisor Beth Dixon about a way to support their mission. The answer was through her art, a way she expresses herself and ties in her theme of self-love.
“I realized with their mission that these women deal with self-loathing and it made me so sad they were hurt so badly and they couldn’t see themselves as beautiful anymore,” McCutcheon said.
She describes self-love as meaning anything from having a relaxing day to accepting who you are and the art will reflect that. Daffodils represent self-love and daffodil bulbs with custom tags with self-love quotes attached will be for sale.
McCutcheon said Daffodils are appropriate as they represent renewal as the first flowers to bloom in spring.
She and Clingerman also worked with nationally-recognized potter Bruce Grimes to create pottery art pieces. Stone coasters, plastic cherry blossoms, lava bracelets created by BATS member Addie Powell and other items will also be sold including baskets donated by Project Woman and Winan’s.
“They’ve really gone all out. It’s great to see kids feeling empowered to make a change,” Dixon said.
McCutcheon also painted six pictures, three of which are very personal, for sale. She’ll contribute an original poem when she and a representative of Project Woman give speeches at 7 p.m.
Public speaking and organizing events have helped McCutcheon step outside her comfort zone, but this is a step in her own self-love goal.
“It’s very cathartic,” she said. “I feel good sharing this information and helping others to not be afraid.”
For more information on the Self-Love Art Showcase, go to www.facebook.com/BringingAwarenessToStudents/.
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