St. Pete Beach artist turns paintings into fundraiser for mom’s brain surgery
Painting for a cause
Most people would call being a full-time artist and graduate student a full plate. But, one St. Pete Beach artist is taking on something even bigger. FOX 13's Jennifer Kveglis reports.
ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. - For 28-year-old Makaila Zelin, every painting now has a purpose beyond art.
St. Pete Beach artist fundraiser
The backstory:
The St. Pete Beach artist and graduate student is using her work to raise $45,000 for a brain surgery her mom, Angela Fisher, needs.
Zelin says her mom was involved in her love of art from an early age, paying for supplies and lessons as she grew up in Ohio.
The two also bonded over painting together.
That changed after Fisher was involved in a car accident during a blizzard. Zelin says the accident worsened a condition her mom was born with, causing part of her brain to herniate near her spinal cord.
Zelin says her mom has undergone multiple surgeries to replace a shunt that drains fluid from her brain. But without the latest replacement, her mom's health has continued to decline, including seizures and sepsis.
Fisher, who works part-time as a nurse due to her health, is without health insurance and has been unable to qualify for disability.
When Zelin learned a new shunt would cost about $45,000, she began looking for a way to help.
Reconnecting through painting
What they're saying:
"I like, couldn't sleep that night, and I'm like, trying to think like, what can I do?" Zelin said.
Zelin decided to turn to the thing she knows best: her art.
"I remember using my paintings to start a hurricane fundraiser after Helene," Zelin said, "I was like, you know, I will try to do something like that again, just for something more personal."
Pass-a-Grille artwork sales
Local perspective:
Zelin sells her artwork at Art on the Patio located in Pass-a-Grille every weekend.
Zelin began selling originals that were personal to her, putting proceeds from items toward her mom's medical fund.
"I decided to let go of some, and it started that way, but I don't have very many of them because once the original is gone, it's gone," Zelin said.
Zelin has also added a third table to display additional items, including magnets, postcards and prints.
There is also a donation box for people who want to contribute.
Art saves lives
Big picture view:
For Zelin, the fundraiser is about more than reaching a dollar amount. She hopes the money will help her mom recover and eventually allow the two to paint together again.
The Source: Information in this story comes from an interview with Makaila Zelin and her firsthand account of her mother's medical history, as well as observations from FOX 13's reporting at Art on the Patio located in Pass-a-Grille.