help fund my graduation project :)

Hi!

My name is Zena-Rae and I am currently working on my graduation project in which I research ways to cultivate and deepen my connection with my mother, Basia, who passed away 5 years ago.

In short, my practice consists of visiting my mom's side of the family in Canada, learning and practicing tai chi, making paintings and drawings inspired by watsu sessions, looking into archives of photo's and videos and editing a short film from archival footage and footage i have filmed over the past year.

I've been studying illustration at the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam, The Netherlands for the past four years and I'm about to graduate in June, if everything goes according to plan ;)

***here is a little trailer video of me making the first painting of the project***

The biggest reason I'm looking for financial help is because I want to print a publication of my project including my thesis and photographs of my paintings and drawings. I would like to print 100 copies (maybe even more if i'm feeling confident) and this is quite an investment for me. The left over money helps me pay for materials like paint, brushes, canvasses and books i'm reading as part of my research.

This project is a very big part of my life right now and I feel that it is something I would be doing regardless of whether it was a (graduation)project or not. It is more so a life long pursuit and discovery that will not end with my graduation. However, doing it as a graduation project does give me a bigger platform for more people to see it, and making it into a 'project' has made it easier for me to open up conversation around the topic.

I feel very weird asking for money but I know that there are people out there who know me and my mom and would love to support me in some way, so this is me welcoming that support in! and also spreading the word about my project <3 !! You can also support me by buying the publication once it is finished or buying my other work :)

! thank you !

with love,

Zena-Rae