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JULY 22, 2015
Artwork hits international stage By Michael Murillo
mmurillo@lakerlutznews.com
Elizabeth Fontaine-Barr always wanted to be a painter — whose works would sell and gain recognition for artistic excellence. She got there, but it was no simple path. She enjoyed drawing as a child. She won art awards in high school. And, in college, she obtained an art degree. So far so good. Then she realized something was missing. “They don’t tell you how to make money when you graduate in painting,” Fontaine-Barr said. Knowing there would be bills to pay as an adult, the New Orleans native had studied advertising design in New York. She opened a store back home with another artist where they taught art classes to children and did custom picture framing. Then she was a freelance commercial artist, and she went on to become the editor for a New Orleans hospital newsletter. After that, Fontaine-Barr went into advertising sales, managed a rock ‘n roll band, and spent time in the health field. And during that time, she worked on film and video,
in 1990, wears the hat that fits her best. She returned to painting and is selling her work. She’s being recognized with admittance into the 18th Annual International Society of Acrylic Painters open exhibition, July 30 through Aug. 23, in Paso Robles, California. Her accepted piece, “Off the Path,” made the cut after being scrutinized by a juror, who examined all the submissions and accepted just 58 into the exhibition. “Off the Path,” like most of Fontaine-Barr’s works, is a colorful landscape that doesn’t look like anything you’d see in real life. She draws inspiration from realPHOTOS COURTESY OF ELIZABETH FONTAINE-BARR life landscapes — often they’re Elizabeth Fontaine-Barr’s ‘Off the Path’ was accepted vacation photographs — and puts into the International Society of Acrylic Painters them through the filter of her own open exhibition in California. emotions. The result is an expressionist’s inserving as a production coordinator when terpretation of the image. “Off the Path” is she moved to Florida. filled with vibrant hues and an expansive “I’ve worn a lot of different hats,” she ad- sky. mits. See ARTWORK, page 11A Now, Fontaine-Barr, who moved to Lutz
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Cindy Oelke’s home in Lutz is comfortable and spacious, but step into a back bedroom and you’ll see piles of clothing and shoes all over the room. Oelke has been collecting the items to prepare for an upcoming trip to Haiti. This will be her third mission trip to the island nation to help provide basic necessities for people who are still recovering from a devastating earthquake there. “The first year, I took maybe 100 pieces. Last year, I took 1,200 pieces,” she said. This year, she’s expecting to take around 2,000 items. On previous trips, she also has pitched in on projects organized by her church — Grace Family Church, which is located on Van Dyke Road, not far from her home. “The first year we went, we painted one of the new churches and schools. Last year, they helped build an addition on to the mountain school. This year, we’re going to be working within all of our orphanages,” she said. She’ll also take on a new role. “They’ve asked me to go and teach the mommas how to sew. So, I’m taking a lot of fabric, so I can teach the moms how to sew for their children,” she said. She also will be leaving fabric behind that they’ll be able to continue to use. And, passing along four donated sewing machines to Haiti. Oelke, who works part-time, believes she’s been called to do God’s work in the impoverished country. It all began rather simply. “I said a prayer one day. I prayed for a sewing machine and a bicycle. And, within a week, I received both. I figured, well, I need to listen to the Lord more. “The second week, I was also given another sewing machine. “At that point, I really felt like God was talking to me, so, I just asked, ‘What do you want
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CINDY OELKE
Despite difficult living conditions, it is quite common to see Haiti children, like this one, smiling, says Cindy Oelke, a woman from Lutz who makes mission trips to Haiti. ‘The children are very, very happy.’
me to do?’And, he said,‘Sew for children.’ ” She wasn’t sure what would become of YOU CAN HELP the clothing, because she knows how exHere is Cindy Oelke’s wish list: pensive it is to ship packages overseas. • New or slightly used spring or summer But one day, as she was getting ready for clothing for boys and girls, from age 2 to 16; Bible study, she felt a prompting, she said. new or slightly used shoes for the same ages “The Holy Spirit sort of said to me, ‘Don’t • Fabric, preferably cotton, for making forget your promise to Haiti.’ ” clothes Then she recalled how she and her hus• First-aid kit items, such as Wet Ones, band had visited Haiti as part of a cruise bandages and gauze years ago, after a huge storm had hit the • Suitcases to carry donations and to country.They saw the devastation. leave them with Haitians, for them to store “We took a bus trip around.The children, their clothing the adults — they were just standing on the For additional details, call Cindy Oelke at road.They were just trying to survive.” (813) 963-7541. When she got back on the bus, she felt sick. “I just said a silent prayer, ‘Lord, help these people.’ I told my husband, ‘I will Years passed and life got busy, and the come back here and help the children,’ ” she idea faded. said. But after she began sewing the clothing, she began thinking about joining a church trip to take it to Haiti. She inquired about going on the next church trip to Haiti, but was told it was already full. She said her Bible leader mentioned to someone, “You know, Cindy has really sewn her heart out for Haiti.” And a short while later, someone cancelled, and she was invited to fill the opening. Still, she wasn’t absolutely certain she should make the trip. So, she prayed for a clear sign. A really clear sign. She asked God to put two animals in her backyard, so she’d know she was meant to go. “The next morning, I got up. I went over to my bay window, and I started screaming for my husband to come. There, right in front of the window, were two doves. Just sitting there,” Oelke said. That happened in April of 2013. She took her Haiti mission trip that August. This year, the group will be leaving on Aug. 15 and returning on Aug. 22. Cindy Oelke carries containers of food in Haiti. Someday, she’d enjoy seeing Europe. For now, she feels called to do God’s work in Haiti.
See HAITIANS, page 11A