Photos by Pinar Istek
Young local painter, Mael Von der Weid, 10, opened his last exhibition at Galeria Mael for a good cause this time. He is donating 50% of the money he raised in the first week of his show to the seven families whose houses were destroyed or severely damaged during the September, 2012 earthquake in Nosara.
Von der Weid, who was in his native country, Switzerland at the time of the earthquake, said, “I knew that there was an earthquake and a lot of damage. So I wanted to participate a little bit. I was gonna do a new exhibition anyways. So I wanted to help.”
A large abstract painting that Mael created in collaboration with New York City graffiti artist, Maxx Moses, welcomed the visitors at the entrance of the gallery. It took the two three hours to finish it.
In the first week of the show 8 painting out of 17 were sold, raising $715 for the families. According to Thierry Von der Weid, Mael’s father and a local business owner, the show will be open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. until August 31st. 2013 and 10% of the sales will still be donated to the families. The Von der Weids are planning to give the money to the families this week when they return from their family vacation.
Families will share the donations equally.
Jennifer Ramirez, who lost her home in Nosara due to the earthquake, said, “this is a support from Thierry, Martina and Mael, who feel the pain of the families who lost their houses at the earthquake. They are doing such a good and noble gesture to help us. Hopefully other businesses here, as well, will do the same. I am very grateful for what they are doing for us.”
Mael Von der Weid, who has been painting since he was four years old, is mainly known for his abstract paintings with some occasional figurative touch. Young artist said, “I like painting. I have a lot of ideas and I wanna use them. So I use them in my paintings.” His influences are mainly what surround him. “I use the images I see. And I use them in my paintings, so that I can have new images,” he added.
Dana Mainzer, one of the visitors who is also an artist, did a drawing on the guestbook to tell Mael never stop creating. She said, “I think it is spectacular that Mael, on his own will, wants to dedicate his own work to those families of Nosara that have houses damaged from the earthquake.”
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