Missing Drawing: Loreto, UPDATE Drawing found!

I have been digging through my studio for days looking for the drawing I was working on for Loreto. It is almost done, but I can't seem to find it anywhere. I am going to look a little bit longer before I begin again. Sorry for the delay!

Update: Drawing found, now putting finishing touches on it and I will send it to you in the mail.
Fondly..... Abbi

Last few Drawings to do.....

Slowly I am finishing up the drawings from all of my donors. I am so happy to be reaching my goal. I am yet to make a drawing for Loreto in Ellen's memory, she is next on my list. The others are family and I told them that they have to wait until Christmas because I am a bit tired and have been working on some other projects.

Missi, Aaron, Chelsie, Kristine, and Cindy's drawings are on the way in the post.

I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season and spending time with loved ones.

Chelsie

Chelsie's words were: love, laughter, and hope.
I hope that means she likes pink peacocks!
Materials used: graphite, watercolor on rag paper.
Thanks Chelsie!

Missi

The last few drawings for ARDS are slowly coming out of me. This one is for a dear friend Missi, she asked me to make a drawing of her dog. I wanted it to be a regal portrait with a bit of humor and fantasy.
Materials used: watercolor and graphite on rag paper.

I hope Mr. Steve Peppers likes his new drawing! Thanks for your patience Missi. I will try to get this and the rest of the drawings in the mail this week.

Sarah

Materials used: ink, graphite, watercolor pencils
The words for the inspiration for this drawing were: climbing, music, faith

Darlene

Darlene's words were: mother, butterflies, and angel
Materials used: graphite, pen, watercolor pencils on rag paper

Drawings yet to be done....

I wish that I had already completed every one's drawings because I am grateful for all of your support and donations. I am working on them in the next few weeks and they are my top priority.
My records show that drawings still need to be made for:

Grandma G.
Ed
Jennifer
Loreto for Ellen

The GREAT news is that through this project I have raised $2,929.00 thus far. Not to mention the extra drawings that were sold to cover my shipping costs. I am completely 100% stunned with the response I have received. My original fundraising goal was $250.00, I have raised more then ten times that amount. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

If you have donated and you have not seen your drawing on this website please email me so I will not miss anyone.

Thanks for your patience and your overwhelming support!

Freya

This is the latest drawing I have finished. It is for my Mom... She gets two because she supported me so much and donated a lot. Thanks MOM and DAD!
The contrast looks a little bit harsh in this photo, in person it is a little more subtle and less graphic.
Materials used: graphite, pen, watercolor pencils
I am hoping to get a lot of drawings sent off in the mail tomorrow. I will email those of you whose get sent so you will know when to expect them.

William

I previously posted this drawing on this blog, but I felt it wasn't finished. I added some antlers to complete the chandelier and to connect the drawing to the image Jill because they are meant to be hung together. This drawing is on hold from my father in law, since he liked it while it was in process while he was visiting here a few weeks ago.

The Shipping Has Begun!

I am in process of shipping out the drawings as I continue to make more drawings to complete my project. Today I packed up and sent five drawings. Gail, Kathryn, Marilyn, Alison O., Eva and Samuel should have their drawings soon!

Many more to come. I appreciate your patience!

We are working.....

For those donors who have not seen their drawing on the website yet, do not worry. We are busy working after a short break. Watch for more drawings for ARDS soon. Thanks for your patience and generosity.

Photos of Deep Breath Exhibition

Some drawings still available!

SOLDSOLD SOLD

SOLD

I took down the exhibition, Deep Breath, which was very successful in raising a lot of funds for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome research. I am so grateful for all of you who donated money and purchased drawings, a big thanks to the Anton Art Center who graciously hosted the exhibition and gave all of the money raised to my cause.

Now that the show is over and the walk is completed there are still a few drawings left that have not sold. These last few drawings are for sale to help cover the cost of the shipping of the drawings to their donors.

Any funds that are left after I have shipped all of the drawings I will donate to ARDS research.

These drawings are for sale for $40.00. If you are interested in any of them please email me and you can send a check, or use pay pal.

I am continuing to work on drawings for the last few donors, so if you have not seen your drawing on the website, it will be soon.

Alison O.

Alison's words were: hope, joy, and love
Materials used: graphite, watercolor pencils.

Gail

Materials used: graphite, watercolor pencils
This drawing is for my Mom. After scanning it in, I see a few things I want to change. I guess that it is a work in process.
These curls belong to my daughter.

Emily P.

Emily's words were: mother, child, love
Materials used: watercolor pencil and graphite on rag paper.
This drawing took on a life of its own, you can read about it on my studio blog.

Hike For Lung Health, 2008

An overview of the Hike for Lung Health in Chicago. It was a moving event and I hope that you enjoy the video.

Abbi-ARDS Survivor

Not Named: Octopus Chandelier

materials used: pen and graphite
not sure if this is done yet. maybe it needs some crystals. I am only partially kidding. It seems too tidy to me.

Hike for Lung Health

This weekend I attended the Hike for Lung Health in Chicago. It was a wonderful event and I was so glad to be able to attend in person after all of the fundraising I have been doing. It felt great to meet others that have survived ARDS and to see my favorite city. Eileen and I, she is the president of the ARDS Foundation.
My daughter and I at the Shedd Aquarium with Chicago behind us.
A view from the hike with my great friend and her daughter.
Here we are at the beginning of the walk. I had a great team with me, thank you all for walking and thank you all for donating and following my fundraising adventure!

Jen

Jen's words were: Relentless, Desolate, Star
Materials used: ink, pen, graphite
This drawing is meant to be a companion piece the one shown below.

Deep Breath Opening featured in the Detroiter

Deep Breath: Drawings to Benefit Lung Health
solo show by area artist, Abbigail Knowlton Israelsen
Deep Breath is a fundraising exhibition, with all proceeds from the sale of drawings donated towards Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) research. Abbigail recently survived ARDS after a long fight at the University of Michigan hospital where she was placed on a ventilator in a drug induced coma for 18 days, fighting for her life. After many months of physical and emotional recovery, she decided to raise awareness of ARDS and to give towards research.
Continue reading....

Jill

materials used: graphite, pen, and ink

Deep Breath Exhibition Opening

My husband and I in front of one of the walls where the drawings were hung.
Me on the night of the opening..... happy about all of the money I have raised for ARDS!
View of the large hanging arrangement of drawings at the Anton Art Center.
View of the other side of the room where the rest of the drawings were hung.

Thank you to everyone who made this possible!
The Anton Art Center was so generous with their time, space, and energy. The show wouldn't have happened had it not been for their kindness. Thank you to all who purchased drawings at the show and those who donated money beforehand. I am so surprised and thrilled by how much money I have been able to raise for ARDS research. I am excited to finish all of the drawings for my donors, so keep your eyes on this site for updates. I am even more anxious for the Hike for Lung Health this weekend in Chicago!

Good News

Today I had my six month appointment after my admittance to the hospital for ARDS. I am participating in a study that involves an experimental medication that was administered to me while I was intubated. The great news is that my lungs seem fully recovered and my oxygen levels were wonderful and my breathing tests all went perfect. I am so grateful to have come to a physical recovery.

The Dr. and I discussed how I have an emotional recovery post ARDS as well as physical. I have been dealing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder with my Therapist and Psychiatrist. The emotional healing will continue for months or years he said. It is getting better everyday, but it can still feel like a battle.

I was so happy to be able to walk out of that hospital today healthy and see the shining sun. I am really blessed to have had such great care while I was sick, wonderful support from friends and family, and a passion to fight for my survival.

Not Named: Kittens

I have hung almost all of the drawings for Deep Breath and I was planning on not doing any more drawings until after the opening. But....... I had this sketched out and today I just had to do it. So I think this is the last one for the show opening. I am going to buy a few more frames and install the last few a bit before the opening on Friday.
Materials used: graphite, watercolor pencils

Kathleen

materials used: graphite, ink, pen, watercolor pencils.

All out of frames

Today I finished another drawing for my ARDS fundraising project. I put it in the frame and realized that it was the last frame that I have. (Granted, I did have two sheets of glass break when my dog stepped on one, and another when I was handling it a bit aggressively.)

I have enough drawings for my upcoming show. I have thought about the placement of the drawings and they all fit together to tell a strange story. I have many other ideas and a lot of donors that I still need to make work for, but this may be it for the opening. It all depends on how much energy I can muster up this week.

I have not forgotten my dear donors Emily P., Missi, my Mom, Jen, Sarah, Chelsie, my sister Alison, and Grandma Gutke. Your drawings will be done soon and I will hang them in the show probably next week. I am just really tired and out of frames.

Cindy

Cindy's words were: daughters, life, and love
Materials used: graphite, pen, watercolor pencils

Mike

materials used: pen
In my hallucinations I was often traveling in a plane, or a boat, or the hospital was a barge..... there was a lot of traveling. When I began this drawing I conceived of the airplanes similar to a swarm of birds. But, the longer I worked on it and the later it became in the night; the planes became sharks.

Emily S.

materials used: graphite, ink, watercolor pencils

She is meant to be hanging next to another drawing.

Not Named

Materials used: ink, graphite, watercolor pencil

Not Named: Elephants on Parade

materials used: graphite, ink, watercolor pencils

Jack: Rainbow Machine 2

Materials used: pen, ink
This is my second drawing of a rainbow machine, this strange machine played a large role in some of my hallucinations while in a coma. You can view the other drawing titled Sophie.

Not too late for donations....

I will be taking donations for my Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome fundraising campaign until September 20th, the day before my Hike for Lung Health in Chicago. I am so proud to be one of the top fundraisers for this event. I thank each donor that donates over $40 with a personalized drawing. You will receive this drawing in the mail by mid October.

At this point, I cannot guarantee that your drawing will be included at the opening of the exhibition Deep Breath: Drawings to Benefit Lung Health. I am very busy and thankful to have so many donors. However, I am not able make enough drawings to match my number of donations. It seems every time I finish a drawing I have two more donations. It is a great place for me, and I am so grateful for the support.

If your drawing is completed after the opening of Deep Breath, I will take the drawing to the gallery and install it, so that it may be shown for the duration of the exhibition.

Thanks for your understanding!

Noah

His words were: silver, water, and elephant
Materials used: ink, watercolor pencils, and graphite
I have decided to stop working on this drawing for now because I cannot think of anything more to add to it, not necessarily because I think it is finished.

Mary

Materials used: pen, ink, and graphite

Eva and Samuel

Eva and Samuel's three words were: Kitty and Flower, their parents word was light.
Materials used: graphite, watercolor, watercolor pencil

These curious and mischievous kittens reminded me of Eva and Samuel, and my husband says that smoke is an indication of light, because you need light to start a fire.
The flower is a peony, they are my favorite these days because my maternal grandmother who I never met always grew them, and my mother always grew them and told me about my grandmothers field of peonies. I have used peonies in all of the drawings in this project when there is a flower.

Marleen

materials used: graphite, pen, and watercolor pencils

Alison W.

materials used: pen, watercolor pencil, and graphite

Brenda

Her words were: happiness, book, sunset
Materials used: pen, ink, graphite, watercolor pencils
The companion piece to this drawing is under construction (starting over) because it was not turning out how I had hoped.