Q: What do ‘Ink Blots’ represent?

A: Each ‘Ink Blot’ represents an individual, a whole person whose life has been dramatically affected by sexual assault or incest. Each individual be they a man, woman or child represents the crimes ability to hold no social-economic, racial or gender limitations. It can affect anyone anywhere. Too many years of stereotypes about who a victim is and why this crime happened to them has perpetuated its ramped nature.  I want to show who the victims are with out any doubt; anyone without exception can be a victim of this crime.

To illustrate this, I have chosen to incorporate several well-known images that have long been used to show our uniqueness and also show how stress and trauma can affect the psyche.

The first influence would be that of my projects namesake, ‘Ink Blots’ which is a psychological test designed by Hermann Rorschach (1884-1922). The Rorschach inkblot test identifies elements of ones personality in which a subject's interpretations of abstract designs are analyzed as a measure of emotional and intellectual functioning and integration.

Along the same line of thought handwriting analysis is a projective technique like body language which can profile human behavior in the areas of social skills, thinking styles, achievement/work habits, and possible ways of dealing with stress. It is a method to view the emotional development of an individual relative to maturity and consistent actions and influences of stress or trauma.

Finally, I used images of blood to represented ones DNA truest form of identification of an individual.

Q: How does this project help the survivors that participate by filling in your form with their personal stories and send it back to you?

A: Ink Blots helps the victims that chose to participate in several ways,
1). It is very therapeutic to write out your story and let it go, send it out into the world. This creates a sense of separation from the trauma rather then holding onto the pain forever.
2). It gives the survivors a sense of empowerment knowing that their contribution will help to educated and raise funds to both prevent this sort of assault and help other survivors.
3). But putting a human voice to this crime and stepping away from the statistics we are helping non victims create a dialogue and a way to connect to survivors.

Q: Specifically, how do you expect this project to promote social change?

A: Just like the AIDS quilt did for AIDS it will bring a lot of publicity and attention to this crime. By creating a public conversation about this societal epidemic we have a chance mobilize the survivors and create a united voice to change legislation, create more empathy and public support for survivors and also begin to re-educate our youth to eventually curb the number of people perpetrating this crime.

Q: How much funding do you anticipate ‘Ink Blots” will be able to raise for the centers that participate?

A: I am hoping to be able to give back $20-30 dollars from the sale of each ‘Ink Blot’, so in theory, for every 100 participants that send me their story, that would be about $2,500 dollars that would be donated to centers around the country. That could really add up quickly!  As ‘Ink Blots’ becomes more self reliant by means of donations, grants and other income, I hope to be able to have a higher percentage that I am able to donate to the crisis centers. This is just for starters…

Q: What happens to the portion of the sales that does not go towards crisis center donations?

A: The rest of the money goes towards the actual materials for the artwork, expenses preparing and setting up the installations, transportation, shipping, public speaking to raise awareness and managerial expenses for the project, not to mention space rental and general utilities.

Q: How has this project been funded prior to the sales to the artwork?

A: I have always really believed in this project so, for the past three years I have done all the work my self and funded it with whatever money I could save. That was about $5,000 in supplies and equipment last year alone. I believe with all my heart this project can work and must work. I need to put everything I have into it… there is no other option.

Q: How do you figure out which crisis centers get what amount?

A: on my survivor participation form there is a place were they would identify which crisis center they heard about my project from. If non is listed, the donation will be sent to RAINN a national organization that does really wonderful work.

Q: What are the events like you are putting together be like?  What will people be able to expect when they go?

A: Of course the spaces will be filled with the ‘Ink Blot’ images. There will also be a video performance projection, sound sculpture, displayed poetry and interactive artistic installation pieces.  In addition to the artwork the neighboring centers will be able to table their own presentations and distribute information about the services they provide to that community.

Q: What motivated you to start this project?

A: My own experiences started back in the 70’s. Then there were no 1-800 numbers, clinics or support groups available. I did survive, and was able to process my experiences to the point were I could get by without thinking about it too much. Well, the not thinking about it too much was the key to getting through it back then. Years past and time went by then a dear friend and roommate of mine was kidnapped at knifepoint, rape and tortured for five hours or more. The police treated her like she was the perpetrator and her otherwise loving and supportive family were just anxious for her to “forget about it and move on.”  I realized these were not uncaring people, why were they acting like that? My friend’s further victimization at the hand of the police and friends was a result of a lack of education proliferated by stereotyping and the stigmatization of anything associated with sex (in a true sense or not). The general lack of public sensitivity due to the abuse of women, children and sex by our media and judicial system is mind numbing. In addition I went through the beginning of the AIDS crisis while living in California in the mid 80’s. I lost several friends and saw all the rejection and neglect that they went through for many of the same reasons. Even in the medical communities ignorance prevailed. The AIDS quilt helped to change all of that and it is my greatest hope that ‘Ink Blots’ will do same for sexual. My comfort had been that things seamed to be changing; there were crisis centers and support groups now. I believed that what I went through was being prevented. It was devastating for me to see I had deluded myself. I started out working for the crisis hot lines, but this was just triaging after the fact. I wanted to stop this war against women, children and even men. At present in my life I personally know 5 men that have been victims and at least a dozen women. These are not friends I have made through the centers, just normal people living normal lives. This is the point of ‘Ink Blots’ the victims of sexual assault and incest are normal men, women and children from all walks of life from all socio-economical back grounds

Download PDF files:

Artciles of Incorporation
By Laws
2007 990 and 990 part 2