It's only been a little over a week since we launched ChronicleChamber's Phundraiser for the Bushfire Appeal, and it's fair to say that we've been completely blown away by the response from the Phantom and broader artistic community.
In episode #140 of X-Band: The Phantom Podcast we go into detail about the project (listen through the player at the bottom of this page, or via your favourite podcast app), and you can also read below for a latest and fullest update.
At the time of writing over 50 artists have been in touch to say they would like to help with the contribution of artwork, and well over a dozen have already sent in their finished pieces. It's fair to say they have mobilised in support of what is a very worthy cause.
Contributing artists have come from far and wide! As you might expect, many local Australian artists are putting their hands up. But we have also already received artwork from all over the world - Brazil, Italy, USA, Bangladesh and Canada are represented so far! The artwork submitted so far is nothing short of amazing, as you can see from some of the snipped previews in the gallery below.
Most of the artists who have completed their pictures traditionally are selling the original art with all proceeds helping our cause in donating to Red Cross Australia. We are promoting these through our social media channels, most particularly our Facebook page, so be sure to keep checking this to see each piece in full as they come available.
In addition to all the contributions of artwork, other Phantom individuals and businesses are also supporting in other ways. Hermes Press are donating a percentage of all Phantom books sold, and Frew will also shortly implement their own plans to assist.
Peter Kingston, curator and exhibiting artist of The Phantom Art Show that toured Australia 2015-2017, has donated several sculptures and other artwork that appeared in the exhibition. We will be phundraising using these pieces, with money raised directly supporting the cause by allowing us to print books with more pages (art has outstripped our initial plans), and hopefully to print more books total. Again, this will happen via our Facebook page so we recommend visiting regularly over the next few weeks!
As mentioned, all monies raised will support the work of Red Cross Australia. Red Cross supports the immediate evacuation and relief efforts, provision of psychological first aid as well as food, water, and other relief items, and emergency grants to people who have lost homes to bushfires. Their work is vital, and it's wonderful that so many people are coming together to support their efforts.
Once again, a huge thanks to Baden and the team at Jeffries Printing Services - it is through their support that we are able to undertake this project.
So, a reminder to save your pennies as we look toward our publication date: we're aiming to have the book in phans' hands by mid-March.
