My friend, Bootsie Humenansky, is a founding Director of Safespot Children's Advocacy Center of Fairfax County. The mission of Safespot is to provide a sensitive environment to promote the safety and well being of child victims of abuse. They provide specialized services and a place for law enforcement and child protective services to come together.

Recently, they relocated to a nice, spacious facility in old town Fairfax and needed a bit of help warming up the interiors to create a soothing, welcoming atmosphere. Nancy Winings, provided interior design services for the previous facility and is working on this project as well. She asked me to paint a mural of trees in the reception area and main hallway. I decided to paint birch trees in a whimsical style in soft shades of gray with chartreuse leaves and colorful birds. Donors names are framed and hung on the branches of the trees in the reception area. The hallway walls were painted with birch trees on either end and a rope between the trees where children's art will hang.

Christy, my dear friend of 25 years, (and fellow artist!), happened to be in town to visit me just a few days after I'd started the project. She offered to help work on the mural! We spent a day painting together and had a blast! Her input was invaluable and generosity of spirit was greatly admired and appreciated.

If you would like to learn more or donate, go to http://www.safespotfairfax.org

It was so fun to work on the project with Christy!

Donor's names are displayed in frames.

This photo was taken before more birds were added. Children's artwork will hang from painted clothes pins which will be attached to the wall along the painted rope.