*LEBANON RELIEF FUND ART PRINT SERIES*

Title: Rawda Cafe - Beirut

A4 Giclee art print (29.7x21cm)

Description: Al Rawda cafe is particularly memorable for its sea-front location, it has been a classic retro haunt since it was built in 1930. Rawda overlooks the Raoucheh rock from the northern point. A lush year round garden is kept up in the cafe’s expansive, retro grounds. Lounging with a book (or drawing!) at Rawda, one has the sense to have been transported back to a calmer, more simple time in Beirut’s history.

I initially launched this Lebanese series for the explosion of August 2020 that damaged up to 8000 buildings in Beirut, 640 of those deemed to be of architectural heritage. Now a new tragedy is unfolding in Lebanon, the latest illegal Israeli invasion (Sept 2024) and I need your help in supporting an already vulnerable community of women refugees in Beirut.

Each print has been scanned and printed as an A4 giclée art quality print with all proceeds going to the OSHANA crowd funder campaign. They will be a signed open edition to allow as many sales as possible. See all Lebanese prints here.

Towards the end of our Shifting Sands adventure in 2014 we spent two weeks in Lebanon where I completed 14 Drawings. This is a digital scan of an original sketchbook sketch by me in Lebanon in 2014 using a Moleskine book and Platinum Carbon Fountain pen with permanent ink.

If you do not have the funds to buy a print, please consider donating directly to the crowd funding campaign below or purchasing on of their beautiful creations in their online shop.

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THIS IS A MESSAGE FROM THE OSHANA CENTRE DATED 28th SEPTEMBER 2024

In the past few days, indiscriminate Israeli bombing across Lebanon has forced nearly all the 60 refugee families that Oshana supports to leave their homes again. Last night many slept on the seafront or in stadiums in search of somewhere safe.

The street where our centre is located was directly hit. Thankfully all our community are as yet unharmed, but as our embroidery artisan Nadia says: ‘We are very terrified. Where could we flee to? We go to sleep thinking this night would be our last. What terrifies me the most is the safety of my children. They are vey small. We fled the war in Syria and now we are living the same horror.’

We have set up an urgent crowdfunder and 100% raised goes directly to the women and community affected.

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-refugee-women-under-bombing-in-beirut

Buying an Oshana item or gift is also a direct way to help and money will get to them just as quickly. So please buy any Christmas presents in advance now. Lots of links below.

https://oshana.co.uk/

This is a direct way to help communities impacted at this moment, please forward this email to other people you think might be able to contribute.