Ambient serenity fills the room where a woman sits crossed-legged on the carpet. Tubes of haphazardly positioned acrylic paints intermingle with an assortment of paint brushes lying around her.
Flower petals take shape. She details branches reaching out and blends a backdrop of blues, green, lavender and soft, gentle pinks.
This was the scene as Lizzy Gates, a City College accounting major, worked on a painting to donate to a local charity event that raises money for sick and injured children.
The sixth annual Painting for Miracles was held Sept. 25 outside ZAP Creative Group at North 12th and C streets in Sacramento adjacent to Loaves and Fishes.
“Each artist is given a story from a child in the Children’s Miracles Network,” Gates says.
Painting for Miracles shares stories from the Children’s Miracle Network with local artists who create art based on the children’s stories, according to Creighton Knudsen, co-founder of the fundraiser.
The Children’s Miracle Network is a non-profit organization that raises funds for children’s hospitals throughout
North America.
The piece Gates created was inspired by the story of an 8-year-old girl in Indiana with an immunodeficiency disease that caused her kidney to fail, forcing her to be on dialysis for more than five years.
“She finally got a kidney transplant,” Gates says. “But there was a small chance of it actually being successful.”
Carrying 12 units and a full-time job, Gates also manages to make time for her art. “I’ve always loved to paint,” Gates says.
“But I really discovered what makes me passionate about it is the fact that I can help other people through my art. It made my art make [more] sense to me.”
At the event, the art of 51 local artists, including Gates’, adorned every wall. Some of the artwork displayed included paintings done in oil, acrylic and multi-media, landscapes, urban and graffiti art, and one small metal and jeweled
sculpture of a spider.
Before the event in her studio, Gates flashed a dimpled, luminescent smile and brushed her reddish-chestnut hair back from her eyes and explained her inspiration for the painting she created.
“I chose a Japanese theme for my girl,” Gates says. “I did a Japanese proverb on it—fall down seven, get up eight. [The proverb means] perseverance is key [to survival]. Everyone falls down. You [just have to] get back up.”
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Gates is committed to helping children suffering through illness through her art.
“Last year, I had a girl from California, who had [Osteogenesis Imperfecta, or brittle bone disease], and had broken 110 bones,” Gates says.
In honor of this child Gates painted a zapata, a Mexican blanket with bright colors and patterns.
“It’s related to her heritage,” Gates says. “And a woven blanket symbolized strength for me, so I did that with stencils of black flowers over it.”
Gates recalls that she got involved with Painting for Miracles after hearing about the organization through Sacramento’s now-defunct Hard Rock Café, where Gates once worked.
“There’s a huge spectrum of talent and backgrounds participating,” Gates says “Anyone willing can do this. Last year we raised $20,000. The money raised all goes to the care and hospitalization of these kids.”
Born in Sacramento, Gates graduated from Elk Grove High School in 2005.
“I started at Sac State as an art major [with an emphasis in] studio art,” Gates says.
Before long though, Gates says she was pushed away from the heart of her art. In her view, the business of art made the scene ugly.
“I decided that although I love art, I’d rather just do it for the greater good.” Gates says. “Not for profit. I don’t like painting for money.”
Last year Gates decided to go back to school at City College.
“I wanted to do something practical,” Gates says. “A lot of things went through my mind, and I landed on accounting. I like problem-solving, and I can get my nerd on.”
Gates says she looks forward to an art show of her own, but her philanthropic interests make it difficult.
“I’ve given so many paintings away I don’t have any in the house,” Gates says.