Journey of Hope 2016 | Page 33

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3 her to research how CAI had evolved, and she immediately knew it was a perfect fit for Infuse Gallery.

“ Being a mother of two little girls, the idea of female empowerment is really important to me,” Kyra explains.“ My kids are strong girls, and I want to help instill that in other young girls. CAI as an organization does that so beautifully.”
“ My six-year-old girl loves to read the blogs and see the pictures of girls just like her. It really blows her mind that there are girls her age who can’ t go to school and aren’ t able to speak their minds or be creative. She wants to go over there and meet these girls. I just knew it was a perfect fit.”
To Serve Vulnerable Communities
Infuse Gallery supports a variety of communities in need, including indigenous and homeless populations and people with disabilities. The organizations Kyra partners with not only provide support to these communities, but also empower the members of the communities to improve their own situations in life.
“ Infuse Gallery is a space for people to connect and work together.”
To follow this philosophy of empowerment in her own work, Kyra dedicated space in the gallery to display the artwork created by individuals in each of the populations she wants the gallery to serve.
“ Infuse gallery is an opportunity to connect these people who can create artwork, let them tell their cultural story, and then put it out there to the global community. It’ s a way for them to make a living and keep their culture alive.”
Kyra believes the clientele the Gallery will attract want to do more than just buy art, they want to create a connection with the artists they support. Missions matter.
“ People are going to connect with artists like Mushtari and organizations like CAI. They are going to engage. Any time people can connect on a human level and be part of a larger story it takes us one step farther from conflict and one step closer to connecting with compassion, empathy and understanding. I think that’ s a really powerful thing.”
Infuse Gallery is the first art gallery to bring activism and art together to empower communities and individuals. Kyra aims to create a connection through the entire process – from artist to gallery to buyer and back to the community. By choosing organizations that empower vulnerable communities and creating opportunity for artists in those communities to show their work, Infuse Gallery is a space for people to connect and work together. By allowing artists like Mushtari to show their work, they are earning a living instead of living on donations.
Infuse Gallery hosts most of the artists’ works online, but Kyra is planning to host pop-up shows in the Denver area to showcase new works and allow people in the area to enjoy the artwork in person. Potential buyers are welcome to peruse works and learn about the artists and organizations they can support by visiting www. infuse. gallery. CAI is proud to be a featured nonprofit organization and to work with Kyra and Infuse Gallery to bring art to everyone. •
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