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Hey everyone! I've recently started using my art for "good" and have created a children's book titled "What Makes You Special?" featuring my original paintings as illustrations and my original story.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1645616499/what-makes-you-special-childrens-book-by-britt-hal

It all started last fall when I created a painting of a narwhal. My husband told me it looked like it could be in a kid's book. I sorta brushed off the idea, but then at my fall art shows I also had a couple patrons tell me it looked like it could be in a kids book. Since this recurring theme kept presenting itself to me,I thought maybe I should think about it. So I started researching arctic animals, because there aren't a lot of animals where narwhals live, and realized all the animals were a bit like "misfits" of the animal kingdom. And so a story was born!

The hero of the story is Little Narwhal, who realizes that he is unlike the other arctic whales with his long tooth. Despite his papa trying to tell him how special he is, he has to see for himself and embarks on an adventure to see what makes other animals special. My book revolves around arctic animals – most of which many children will have never seen (narwhals, puffins, belugas, killer whales, moose, arctic foxes, harp seals, polar bears and musk oxen). Each animal offers something “strange” about themselves, but then also why that makes them special. At the end, Little Narwhal realizes that our differences make us who we are, and we should be proud to be ourselves!

Why is this important? I am increasingly concerned with the amount of bullying children are enduring and how cruel society can be to those who do not conform to its standards. If even one child reads this book and feels encouraged that he or she does not need to change who they are, then this book has been a success.

I am almost finished with all the artwork, will then have them professionally photographed, and will then be sending the book off to the printers! I'm estimating having everything to the printer by beginning of April. So I have started a Kickstarter campaign to help pay for the printing and shipping costs and other things like ISBNs and ebook conversion.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1645616499/what-makes-you-special-childrens-book-by-britt-hal

Rewards tiers start at just $10 (to be listed on my website as a supporter) and goes up to $650 (for the original cover art painting). You can pre-order one of the books for just $25 backing pledge.

The kickstarter page has tons of information about the quality of the book, excerpts from the book, some of the images, etc etc. So I wont hash it all out here. You can check out the page to read all of that if you're interested. But I hope that you will find it in your heart to help me get this book into the hands of kids who need to hear they are special just how they are. Even if its just $10. It all adds up!

Thanks so much!!! Oh, and feel free to share the Kickstarter link on your social media pages! The more people that see it the better! THANKS!

There are only 5 days left for my Kickstarter project to reach its pledge goal: http://kck.st/UzXeft

Some of you may have seen my blog post about it, others may have heard about it on the Art Fair Radio podcast I participated in last week.  If not, here it is, and its down to the wire!!!

I have 5 days for my project to reach its pledge goal, or I don't receive the funding for the project.  I am so excited to go on this trip to Australia and create some great new work there and this project is going to help me in a BIG way.  I will be able to do a lot more traveling while in Australia and get to some amazing places!!!

Check out the project and please share with your friends and networks (facebook/twitter): http://kck.st/UzXeft

Thank you!!!

If you don't know, Kickstarter is a website that helps fund creative and innovative projects through crowd funding.  I am working with Kickstarter to raise funds for my next photographic adventure, this time to Australia.  I will only receive the funds if my project meets its pledge goal by Oct. 29.  If the project does not reach the goal, I receive nothing.  The best part is that no one is "donating" anything to me, Kickstarter requires all projects to return something tangible to the investors in the project.  In terms of my project, investors have the choice of purchasing a photograph from either my previous work, or the work I will shoot in Australia.

I think this is a great way to raise funds for arts projects and even exhibitions.  Its also a great source of promotion for your artwork.  It can take away the entire notion of "well, if I only had the money to..." It also exposes your work to a new audience!

You can check out my project here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1986082413/kite-aerial-photography-in-australia

I encourage everyone to look at the rest of the site and also, since we are all creative people here, keep it in mind for your own future projects.  So far my experiences with them have been excellent!

I will update with its progress.

I just would like to say thank you to everyone who supported my Kickstarter project: http://kck.st/UzXeft either by pledging, sharing the link or simply wishing me well.

My project ends tomorrow, Monday 10/29 at 3pm EDT and it reached its pledge goal tonight!

Thank you all very much for your support, I have worked extremely hard on this, and still have even more work ahead of me now.  I am so excited for my trip and the new work that I will now be able to produce thanks to everyones support.

Special thanks to Connie for having this site and also for inviting me to be a part of Art Fair Radio.

The project will be open to pledges for a few more hours and will be posted up on the Kickstarter site permanently here: http://kck.st/UzXeft

Thank you very much,

Evan