1. When will the Younique painting be announced?
2. Is this just a shameless publicity stunt to raise your profile as an artist?
3. Why do you think your painting is worth $1million?
4. What if your $1million reserve is not met?
5. I don't have $1million dollars, how can I get involved and help this cause?
6. How will the auction be conducted to ensure the money is given to Compassion?
7. Where did you get the idea from for the Younique project?
8. Are you that rich that you can afford to give away $1million?
9. Will you be selling any other paintings this way?
10. How long will the auction be conducted for?
1. The Younique painting will be announced 7 days before the auction begins on the September 12 2008.
2. No. I am doing this to make the most of a launch opportunity that will hopefully benefit those trapped in poverty and at the same time raise my profile as an artist.
I am not doing this under any false pretense of being 100% altruistic, as I make my living from creating art, I do hope that this will be a positive step for my career as well as an act of sharing that will change the world.
In line with Bill Gates' call to reinvent the way commerce is done via his presentation on 'Creative Capitalism' for helping the poorest of the poor, I stand as one who, like any businessman needs to make a profit to feed his family and wonder just how to help the poor in the process.
This is my way of doing just that.
3. What determines the value of a painting? Is it an inherent or intrinsic quality that determines the absolute price or value of a painting, or is it market forces?
I believe that any painting that holds intrinsic value could sell for any amount, it really comes down to who is bidding against whom and how deep their pockets are.
So yes I believe this painting could achieve a price in excess of $1million.
4. If the reserve is not met when the bidding closes the painting will pass in and the auction will commence again.
It is my intention to keep publicising this project and rolling the auction over until the reserve has been reached. At this stage I am prepared to do this for 1 year.
5. Many people who are going to see this project are going to be wondering how they can get involved but don't have access to $1million. By sponsoring a child through Compassion, you will be changing the world. At a little over $1 a day, this is something that is accessible to many of us. If you don't have the means to sponsor a child, then you can tell others about it by watching a video I have created, and sharing this with your friends, as some of them my have the means to sponsorship.
6. To ensure that the money from the successful sale of the painting is directed to Compassion and not into my pocket the payment method will be to make out the cheque to Compassion International. I will only be asking for $1 as payment for myself.
My $1 is a gesture to focus people's attention on the devastationg fact that about 1.1 billion people live on $1 a day or less.
7. The idea for the Younique Project came to me as I wondered just what I could do to make my abstract painting launch not only beneficial for myself but a significant help for the poorest of the poor. It was a direct result of inspiration that came from one of the paintings.
8. No, I definitely do not have $1million to spare.
Having gone through the pain and anguish of struggling for 5 years in my commercial art business, only to lose our family home in the last few months(valued at $1m in the peak of the real estate boom) as a result of the changed economy and my poor business skills, I am about at the bottom of things financially right now.
I don't think the fact that I don't have $1million to spare should stand in the way of being a philanthropist.
9. Depending on the outcome of this project, I may in the future choose to raise money this way when and if another painting comes along that is truly inspirational like the Younique painting has been to me.
10. The auction will run for 7 days and at this stage be an online auction.
If the painting fails to reach the reserve the auction will be rolled over and begin again, as the search goes on to find the individual or corporation who is willing to pay the reserve.