Creative Gateways to Celebrate Earth Day with GAIA GALA This Friday

This year marks the 47th Anniversary of Earth Day! Widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement, the first Earth Day, April 22, 1970, activated 20 million Americans from all walks of life. Twenty years later, Earth Day went global, mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries and lifting environmental issues onto the world stage. More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world.

This year in Sedona the public is invited to join Creative Gateways to celebrate Earth Day and make a difference at their Gaia Gala on Friday, April 21 from 6-8pm.

Free to the public, Gaia Gala will benefit Gardens for Humanity's "Celebrating the Art in Earth" program. Guests will be treated to organic food and wine, enjoy lively eco-talks and a raffle as well as eco-goodie bags. In addition to the proceeds from the raffle, a portion of all sales that evening will also go to Gardens for Humanity.

Founded in 1996, Gardens for Humanity's mission is to awaken and tend the gardens of the human spirit by teaching and celebrating our connection to nature, local agriculture, art and community while promoting an ecologically sustainable and more humane culture. They were founded with that principle that when one creates a garden, one defines a sacred space that becomes a place for nurturing life and that human interaction with the forces of nature in a garden setting evokes the creative spirit. Furthermore gardens are made for nourishment and beauty. Art is a human effort to participate in creation and to express beauty and life. Gardens for Humanity was founded on the basis of this relationship of art and gardens, and it continues to be a guiding principle.

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton presented the prestigious Take Pride in American Award to them in February of 2004 for their work. "When Gardens for Humanity puts their art into action, the resultant gardens in places like schools and healthcare facilities and reservations bring moments of healing peace to all who stop by," said Secretary Norton. "We learned after 9/11 that going back to nature and the solitude and beauty offered in our parks and refuges across this country offered a renewal of spirit. At Interior, we have invested a great deal of time and effort in the Take Pride in America program because we believe we can renew spirit and pride one acre at a time across this nation."

Gardens for Humanity offers their art enrichment program, "Celebrating the Art in Earth" to six schools in Sedona and the Verde Valley. Providing activities that connect children to the environment. This program provides much needed art and environmental education, supporting in a way that is engaging to students.

Art, as the means of environmental and garden education, helps students develop greater self-expression, creativity, experimentation, problem solving, in addition to enhancing their emotional relationship, appreciation and sense of responsibility towards the natural world.

President of Gardens For Humanity, Richard Sidy, will give a talk at 7pm about the program.

The International Earth Day theme for 2017 is Environmental & Climate Literacy. Environmental and climate literacy is the engine not only for creating green voters and advancing environmental and climate laws and policies but also for accelerating green technologies and jobs. Local 'green' businesses have been invited to attend and Informational flyers will be available,

Gaia Gala is part Creative Gateways April Show The Earth without Art is just Eh. This thought provoking show invites people to explore the impact of visual art on the surrounding environment through a variety of mediums; work in ceramics, glass and painting are all represented. Featured artists include Terry and Marika Israelson, Michael and Sumati Colpitts Pilisa Rainbow Lady and Meg Munro.

Kick off your Earth Day celebrations on Friday the 21st at Gaia Gala from 6-8pm. Mingle with the artists; enjoy fabulous food and drinks, while supporting this worthy organization.

Creative Gateways is an artist's collective and public gallery space in Sedona, Arizona. Its working studios are open to all and visitors are welcome to drop in at any time to meet the artists and engage with the creative process. The gallery space showcases the innovative and lively work that results from this very special environment, for visitors to discover, explore, and take home with them. Creative Gateways is located at 45 Birch Blvd in Sedona. For more information about Creative Gateways, visit www.CreativeGateways.com or call 928-862-4440.

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