After a successful showing in our Gallery, we are pleased to be able to continue to offer Olivia's Studio Sale here on our online gallery. See the collection below. Contact gallery@VashonCenterFortheArts.org with any questions. Some items are available for shipping. 

Olivia Pendergast made her home on Vashon Island for five years before moving to Kenya with her family four years ago, and has made a life in Kenya, raising her daughter, selling her art internationally and engaging boys who live on the street in making art and exhibiting it.

This Studio Sale is a collection of Olivia's work that remained on Vashon when she moved and she is selling it as a means to raise money for  Alfajiri Street Kids Art Program in Kenya. Alfajiri is an organization that provide boys who live, sleep and eat in the garbage dumps of Malango Kubwa. Alfajir provides them with a safe haven - clean clothing, a personal hygiene care, but "most of all, love", Olivia says. In addition to these basic needs, the organization is a center for them to relax, dance, garden, learn martial arts and do art with Olivia. 

"One part of the craziness of living abroad during a pandemic is that my belongings have been safely stored on Vashon for a few years. This has made for a lovely opportunity for a Studio Sale.

I have been working for the last few years with these amazing boys who sleep and eat in the garbage dumps of Malango Kubwa. Alfajiri provides them with food, clothing, art but most of all, love. They come to the base where, for a few hours, they can just be kids doing art. The center also teach them dance, gardening and martial arts. This helps them feel safe and to relax, allowing their emotions to be felt. I help them with art, raise money for them and have helped organize two showings of their works in a museum and an art gallery, where they get to come and see their work on the walls and even make some sales. They are a joy to be around and since I personally know the person who runs the organization, I am sure the money is used directly for the boys."

See more about Olivia here

ARTIST STATEMENT

I was graced to live and paint and be a Mama, on Vashon Island for five years before moving to Kenya, four years ago. One part of the craziness of living abroad during a pandemic is that my belongings have been safely stored on Vashon. This has made for a lovely opportunity for a Studio Sale to raise money for an organization, Alfajiri, I am working with here in Nairobi.

For the past few years I have been working with these amazing boys who sleep and eat in the garbage dumps of Malango Kubwa. Alfajiri (www.Alfajiri.org) provides them with food, clothing and art, but most of all, Love. They come to the base where for a few hours they can just be kids doing art. The center also teaches them dance, gardening and martial arts. This helps them feel safe and to relax, allowing their emotions to be felt. I help them with art and raise money for their health care and education. 

I  was part of a team who organized two showings of their works, one in a museum and another in an art gallery. The boys came and saw their work displayed on the walls and even sold some art! They are a joy to be around. 

A portion of the art sales from this Studio Sale will go to Alfajiri Street Kids Art Program here in Kenya. Alfajiri is a wonderful organization. And I can assure you that all the funds will be used directly for the benefit of the street boys who Alfajiri services. 

Olivia Pendergast

ALFAJIRI

Alfajiri offers an art therapy based outreach program and empowerment programs aimed at street children and at high risk vulnerable children and youth especially those living in the streets and slums of Nairobi.

Mission: A world where street children discover and are given their true worth.

Vision: Reach street children through art creation and discover our common humanity.

Motto: We are talented, creative, intelligent kids but forgotten. We are Kenyan. We have dreams and long for a future. A future where we can have a home and can be accepted and respected for just being who we are, kids just like yours. We have dreams, that one day we will be independent and find a way to have a job, a career and find our families. They will see that we are worthy and we have so much to offer. This is our dream.