Author Archives: Girl Noticed

A series of detailed photorealistic charcoal portraits created as large exterior murals by artist Lori Pratico depicting a diverse group of girls and women of all ages. Each mural will depict one individual in charcoal which will fade away over time. Depending on weather conditions, murals can last days, weeks or months. This representing the intention of the project, which is: “If gone unnoticed, all what was there may fade away, disappear, and never be seen.”

Girl NOTICED!

Empowering women and giving value to girls

by recognizing their potential through artistic expression and dialogue.

Girl NOTICED!

It’s not always easy to say “I am” and even harder sometimes to allow yourself to be heard.

Thank you to those who stepped out of their comfort zone to be NOTICED.

Girl Noticed!

Each woman plays an important role in our society. That role should be determined based on her strengths and talents, not by the role given to her by society or by what other people expect of her.

the “Why”… why Girl Noticed?

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This is me, age 7. Fearless, jump from the highest step, climb the biggest tree, scraped knees, no one messes with me, 7 year old me.

I’m not exactly sure when it happened, but looking back I can understand why. Why this wide eyed hopeful, full of spirit and guts kid all of a sudden was afraid of everything. I suppose it was because the steps I used to jump from also led to the house where I never quite felt good enough. My accomplishments seemed insignificant and my dreams were dismissed. It happened when suddenly my changing body brought attention that was neither asked for nor wanted and left me feeling ashamed and small.

I was a lucky one, because although these things had held me back, making me doubt myself, finding myself in situations where I was influenced too easily in an attempt to find the acceptance I was so desperately seeking, my spirit never completely died. I was a lucky one because a handful of special people in my life recognized my thoughts and dreams and validated my ideas, and believed in me, so my hope stayed alive.

Not all girls are so lucky. Some will have their spirit and hope ripped from them at an early age, never to realize their full potential. Others it will happen later in life, maybe when they’ve reached an age where their bodies begin to change again and their value and self worth is dismissed now by a society and its demands on being young and perfect. A society that demands you look and act a specific way all at an attempt to fit into an impossible mold. They may never have the people in their life that took the time to notice, or they may not have the spirit and hope left to celebrate their 7 year old self.

I notice. I notice it in the eyes of every woman and girl I meet. I notice it in the lines that have formed around their mouths, or how high they hold their head. This is what I wish to express in my portraits. The strength, courage and tenacity in every woman.

Why now? 

Because everyday a girl or woman is left unnoticed, is a day too long. 

Don’t miss the Girl Notice Launch party on Dec. 10th at Gallery 2014!  https://www.facebook.com/events/745010892214844/

the “What” … what is Girl Noticed?

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Girl Noticed is a Nationwide charcoal mural project aimed at bringing attention and awareness to the important role “the female” plays in our society.

My name is Lori Pratico and along with photographer Elizabeth Sanjuan I will be traveling 50 states in 3 years to erect a series of detailed charcoal portraits, created as large exterior murals. Each mural will depict a female chosen from the area in which the mural will be painted. The murals will be crafted in charcoal. The idea is, weather conditions and time will naturally and quickly fade away these images. There is a window of time to “Notice” the artwork that has been created. This representing the message: “when an individual’s talents, intelligence, and character are left unnoticed, they may fade away, disappear, and never be seen or developed into their full potential.” Each individual chosen will be photographed alongside their portrait and these photos will comprise a book to be published at the completion of the project.

I started my artistic career over 25 years ago painting billboards in Philadelphia and have decided to return to climbing walls. I painted billboards out of high school because I thought it would be the easiest way to get my work seen and recognized. Over 25 years later I’m back to painting walls for the same reason, but with a different goal. To bring attention to important issues surrounding the demoralization of women and to recognize the strength, courage, talents and tenacity of females throughout the United States. I’m creating something you have no choice but to notice. The first mural will be done in Hollywood, Florida in January 2015. Before my 50th birthday I will travel 50 states and create at least 50 murals. Art has always been where I have found my voice, and I aim to be heard.

Elizabeth Sanjuan began her travel and photography adventures while at American Airlines, where she worked for 25 years.  Now a recognized philanthropist and gallery owner in Hollywood, Florida, she has traveled to over 73 countries and plans to see at least 100 by the time she reaches age sixty.  She and her husband, Ken Brown, founded the Sanjuan-Brown Hollywood Arts Foundation in 2012, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts and arts education. World travel is her vehicle and photography is her medium. “My passion is to discover, through travel, the vast mosaic of people, lands and cultures that the world offers; and to record, as faithfully as I can, the incredible panorama of color, pattern and energy that bombards the receptive eye. Travel gives me the opportunity to observe, but I believe the lens intensifies my ability to truly understand. I want to convey the world’s incredible variety and to create an awareness, understanding and respect for humankind through photographic images. I am constantly reminded that even though people live worlds apart, we are truly all the same. Our hopes, dreams, loves and losses are all captured in our faces. The camera, provides objective proof of our commonality.”

I can’t do this without your help. Through fundraisers and grants the first phase of this Nationwide project can be made possible. Your support will go a long way in realizing this great opportunity and sharing our message. Funds will be used to help with travel expenses and documentation of the project. If you find this project worthwhile please share with your friends and social circles. All support and any exposure is an immense help, and we thank you and then thank you again, oh and then thank you again. You can follow our preparations, our travels and the work we create at www.girlnoticed.com .

Our Launch Party will be Dec. 10th at Gallery 2014 in Hollywood FL. Check the menu, events page and click on link for more details.

Full Speed Ahead! Oh wait, life is in the way…

It seems throughout my art career whenever I felt like I was building momentum, whenever all the cards finally felt like they were stacking up in my favor, abruptly and out of nowhere I’d get hit with something that would stop me in my tracks. Never a simple something, but a life changing, perhaps you’ll never get back on track something.

I find that when these things called life happen, it’s then I discover within myself hidden reserves of courage and resilience I didn’t even know I had. I come to realize these things don’t have to weaken you, they can actually strengthen you, and I know that I have no choice but to become more determined than I’ve been, more courageous, greater in spirit and to have an even brighter, larger overall outlook.

My favorite quote has always been, “There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
– Anaïs Nin

It’s really what is at the core of this project.

We should all be noticed, and each girl should have the opportunity to blossom.

Beginnings…

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Sometimes I’m woken up in the middle of the night. Most of the time I’m driving down a highway, windows down, radio blaring. That’s usually when I end up missing my exit, because it was in that moment, my next creative idea came to mind.

This time it was more like a seed planted than an “aha” moment. Different things all happening within a few weeks, in perfect synchronization, and before I knew it, I was digging my feet firmly in the ground saying “I’m doing this”.

Of course this is the point I swirl into my creative cycle, which goes something like this, more or less in this order:

1. Obsess: I can think of nothing but my new creative endeavor. Yes, that’s me staring into space and not hearing a word anyone is saying around me. I’ll nod my head now and then so you know I’m still in the room, but that’s about all your getting from me as far as adding to the conversation. I’m already in conversation with the committee in my head after all.

2. Charts: They make me feel smart and organized.

3. Research: Endless research on every aspect of what I’m about to embark on.

4. No Sleep: too much obsessing, charts and research to do.

5. Self Doubt: what happens after I finally get a couple hours of sleep.

Suddenly my beautiful seed that had sprouted new leaves the days and nights before has wilted. It’s been strangled by a weed. The weed grows on the notion that  “when you share this great creative idea you have, no one will get it, and you will not succeed.” And it is at that point I get back in the car, and hope for a new and better idea.

NOT THIS TIME! No Fear! That is where this creative cycle begins and ends.  

“For in every seed is the promise of a thousand forests…” Deepak Chopra

more to come…