Vickery Meadows and the art world lost a treasure of a man today... if you have moment please read this message regarding his passing... if you can help in any way possible... I am sure it would be appreciated more than you can imagine. If you cant be bothered with reading this message and want to help the family right away... you can go here... https://youcaring/help-a-neighbor/brain-injured-artist-ameer-s-family-in-need-of-support-/223791 Posted on 11/05/2014 by Organizer Cynthia Saathoff Dear Friends, It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that today, November 4th, 2014 at 10:10 am, Abdul Ameer Alwan was called to heaven. His wife and daughter are heart broken. Making things worse, they have received a bill from the hospital in excess of $1,000,000 dollars, discounted to more than $15,000. (this does not include the surgeon and other specialists) Now they have the burden of funeral and burial costs. Abdul Ameer Alwan was not only a talented artist but a gifted teacher. He spendt many hours teaching art to refugees in Vickery Meadow. He taught people of all races and backgrounds, often without a common language, only the visual language of art. The results were always amazing. Ameer was also a great humanitarian. He won a lifetime award in the middle east for portraying peace in his artwork. Please watch the documentary by the talented, Ramtin Nikzad, This Is Our House, youtu.be/lkzfPubHuTU & featured on the homepage of this site. You can also learn more about the struggles that faced Ameer and his family from this 2010 article in the Dallas Morning News: dallasnews/news/community-news/dallas/headlines/20100622-After-fleeing-Iraq-Dallas-painter-64.ece Who am I? I am an artist and Ameers friend and colleague. I have taught with Ameer in Vickery Meadow for nearly two years. Sahra Mohammed, an artist and community member in Vickery Meadow, intoduced Ameer to our team. Ameer welcomed us into his home. He and Balqes invited the team including my son, Dashiell, into their home. Dashiell is also and artist and musician. Ameer and Balqes prepared a meal fit for kings! Dashiell still talks about it! Ameer even lent Dashiell one of his hand made ouds to play while he was in town without his guitar. You have not lived until you have heard Nirvana played on an oud! Later, Dashiell was held at gunpoint while at art school. I was afraid to take off time from our project. Ameer looked at me with the concern of a father, and said, GO! What are you waiting for? I will take care of opening workshop. Do not worry! My daughter, Erika is close in age with Aman. Ameer and I taught classes in a hot apartment next to the Vickery Meadow Learning Center (they teach English to refugees: vmlc.org/) starting in the summer of 2013. Our daughers have become fast friends. We took turns hosting sleepovers for the girls. My daughter is a big fan of Arabic food from her visits. My kids are lucky to recieve such a cultural experience right here in Dallas! Aman is like my daughter. Ameer like my brother and Balqes his wife like my sister. They are regular people just like you and me. Balqes is a Montessori teacher. She brags about her students as if they are her own children. She is a caring, loving wife and mother. She is deeply saddened by Ameers death. She has lost her best friend and partner and Aman her father. This family has sacrificed a great deal to come here to America. This family has devoted a lot of time and energy to improve Dallas and Vickery Meadow. Perhaps together we can show our gratitude with compassion and some financial recovery? It doesn not take much. When I started this, I imagined if all my friends on facebook each gave five dollars, then each of their friends each gave five dollars... and so on, a real difference could be made. I am not a professional fundraiser. Up to now, I have downloaded the funds to my personal account. From there, I have withdrawn the funds in cash and delivered it to Balqes where the funds have been utilized to get caught up on rent, utility bills, gas, food, clothing and school supplies. If anyone out there is a financial whiz and can help me figure out how to manage funds more efficiently, please contact me? In addition to doctor bills & funeral costs, the basic needs of staying above the fray of monthly bills are still paramount. However, education has always been very important to the Alwan family, after the immediate needs are met, perhaps some kind of fund could be set up for Amans education? Today, while Balqes made funeral arrangements, Aman and I spent the afternoon in my home making paintings. She is interested in art like her dad and seeks to apply to Richardson West Junior High, Visual Art Magnet. Thank you for your continued support, and please share! Cynthia Saathoff cynchro@gmail 972-839-0691 THIS IS OUR HOUSE youtu.be
Posted on: Wed, 05 Nov 2014 09:09:03 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015