Park West and Thrive Africa

Qwa Qwa, South Africa -- The Park West Foundation is partnering with the ministry team at Thrive Africa toward the goal of AIDS prevention in South Africa. Thrive Africa's AIDS Prevention program, Leadership Summit, teaches students in public schools about abstinence, leadership development, and finding life-purpose through a relationship with God. The combination of these messages is helping young people live moral lives and make wise choices.

Niel and Alece van Rensburg are the founders and directors of Thrive Africa. As a white South African pioneering a ministry to the underprivileged in Africa, Niel's life is a testimony to the life-changing power of God. In 1998, after attending Bible College at Waterberg Training Centre and serving as the youth pastor and missions director at Wellspring Ministries, Niel founded Thrive Africa. His passion has always been duplication leadership - training leaders who will train other leaders - maximizing the long-term impact and effectiveness of ministry. Believing that Godly leaders can change not only communities but entire nations, Niel has committed his life to empowering indigenous leaders in Africa and around the world.

Having been involved in missions since her early teen years, Alece's heart beats for the lost. On her first trip to Africa at age 16, the Lord broke her heart for the people of Africa and gave her a passion to return long-term. In 1998, at 19 years of age, Alece obeyed the call of God and moved from New York to South Africa as a missionary. Living by faith, she helped Niel pioneer Thrive Africa from the ground up. Alece's heart is burdened by the AIDS pandemic ravaging Africa, and she has given her life to turning that tide by raising up a new generation of Godly leaders who will change the destiny of the entire continent.

Niel and Alece were married in October 2000. Together they have forged ahead with Thrive Africa, their hearts beating with the vision God has given them to develop emerging leaders in Southern Africa. Currently, 70 Leadership Summit classes are taught biweekly in 7th, 8th, and 9th grade classes in 10 schools.

Thrive Africa is currently teaching:

• Living On Purpose - Life is worth living because God created you for a purpose

• Save Sex - The facts about AIDS and the importance of saving sex until marriage

The classes are taught by coaches - Basotho young adults who are trained by the Thrive Africa team. These coaches have trained (and continue to train) teach, counsel, and mentor their students. Because the classes are taught peer-to-peer - by young adults who are from the same culture - the students' hearts are more receptive to the challenging messages. Genuine relationships are built between students and coaches, providing the students with role models to turn to for advice and help. The curriculum, developed by the Thrive Africa team, is culturally-relevant and Biblically-based.

Park West Gallery CEO and founder, Albert Scaglione, and his wife Mitsie are providing financial contributions and payment for printing and shipping 15,000 copies of the 48 page full-color
book Save Sex; 15,000 copies of the 128 page full-color book Living on Purpose ; and 2,000 copies of the 20 page book Story Tellers. These books are being used in the Leadership Summit youth ministry. Classes are two hours long and typically include practical games, interactive teaching, and small group discussion. Coaches also make themselves available before and after class to talk one-on-one with students.

To learn more about Thrive Africa, or to find out how you can help make a difference in the fight against AIDS in South Africa, visit Thrive Africa on the web at http://www.thriveafrica.org/.

Park West Gallery Newsletter - November Issue!

Attention Park West Gallery Newsletter fans - the November issue is here!

> CLICK HERE TO READ ISSUE 3

> CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

This month's features include:

• Celebrity Cruises Features New Highlight the Artists Sailings,
• New Anatole Krasnyansky Website,
• Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage Released On DVD,
• Andrew Bone's South African Safari,
• Thrive Africa and Park West Foundation News,
• Newly Released Park West Artwork

A Memorable Park West VIP Cruise

Fanch "Brise Tropicale"

"I wanted to share with you some feedback about our first Park West VIP cruise. We spent last week in the Caribbean with Ann Marie, Tim, Tom, Ryan, and Megan. They made us feel like we were on an "exclusive" trip even though we were amongst 3,000 other people on the ship. Everything was well organized yet balanced our time so that we could also enjoy the islands and the events that the cruise had to offer.

Our surprise artists were Fanch, David Najar, and Leslie Lew. What a treat to meet and spend time with them. As you can imagine, we have memories that will last a lifetime!

They all made what we expected to be an "artsy-fartsy" trip into a memorable experience. Each one added their own special touch to the trip. They provided the perfect environment to learn about the art, the artists, and gave us personal consultations. Because of them, we purchased a piece of art from each of the artists that we met, and we finally added a Marc Chagall to our collection.

Thank you for including us on this vacation. Please thank them for the wonderful experiences they created for us! Without them this would have been just another cruise.

Sincerely,
Steve and Matty G."

The Park West Foundation - How You Can Help This Thanksgiving Season

The Park West Foundation actively assists young adults aging out of the foster care system. At 18 years of age, these young adults are cut off from assistance and are left to fend for themselves with no home, job prospects, and limited education. The Park West Foundation began with 9 young adults and that number has now grown to over 100! While we begin by providing the basics (food, clothing and shelter), we can proudly say we now have 12 young adults attending college!

The Park West Foundation needs your help this Thanksgiving season to assist these young adults. Below is a list of items required for day to day living. If you would like to donate any of the items below, please call 1-800-521-9654 x 1281 for details.

Clothing

• Winter Coats, Hats, Gloves, Scarves, Boots (Men, Women, Child, Infant)


• Clothing (Men, Women, Child, Infant) – especially business/interview attire/suits


• Shoes (Men, Women, Child, Infant)
  

Personal Items

• Hygiene Products – shampoo, soap, toothpaste, etc.


• Diapers (sizes 1-4)


• School Supplies – paper, folders, pens, pencils, Texas Instruments Calculators


• College Level Dictionaries & Thesauruses
  

Household Items

• Twin Bedding – sheets, pillowcases


• Bed Pillows


• Bath Towels – including washcloths, hand towels, bath mats


• Kitchen/Tableware – plates, glasses, silverware, pots, pans, serving pieces


• Small Appliances – toasters, microwaves, other small kitchen appliances


• Irons & Ironing Boards


• TVs


• Lamps, Mirrors, Dressers


• Kitchen Tables & Chairs


• Small Couches, Side Tables & Chairs


• Baby Furniture

Puzzled by Art? (October 2008)

How well do you know Park West Gallery and its artists? Enter the answers for each clue into the corresponding numbered spaces in the grid below. The dashes indicate the number of letters in each answer. If you have solved the puzzle correctly, the highlighted boxes reading down the center column will reveal a 2-word message apropos to the season. Enjoy!

CLUES
1. Park West Gallery is currently celebrating its ________ anniversary

2. Surname of the first officially licensed Harley-Davidson artist

3. Capital city of France near where you'll find Linda Le Kinff's magnifique studio

4. Dürer wrote a treatise on human ________, composed of four books on the subject

5. These classic characters are "pep artist"David Willardson's muses

6. Visit Park West Gallery's 63,000 square foot facility in this Michigan city

7. Continent called home by artist and conservationist, Andrew Bone

8. Thomas Kinkade is known as "The Painter of ________"

9. First name of Cubist co-founder, aka the most famous artist of the 20th century

10. Rembrandt mastered dramatic use of light and shadow, or this term

11. Surname of the illustrator celebrated for his covers of "The Saturday Evening Post"

12. Linda Le Kinff applies a special material called ________ to her paintings

13. This art form, stressing change and movement, was pioneered by Yaacov Agam

14. Salvador Dalí was inspired by this poet's epic "Divine Comedy"

(Need help? Hint: All answers are found in the October Newsletter, Park West Gallery and Artist Biographies webpages)

Park West Gallery Art Expo 2008

To celebrate Park West's 40th anniversary, more than one-hundred fine art auctioneers, associates and trainees from Plymouth Auctioneering, providing services for Park West cruise ship art auctions at sea, attended an unprecedented semi-annual conference and Art Expo during October 1-6, 2008.

Forty artists from around the globe - including Itzchak Tarkay, Peter Max, Yaacov Agam, Csaba Markus, Emile Bellet, Anatole Krasnyansky and Marko Mavrovich - were flown in and provided with complementary accommodations for the special event along with thirty of Park West's most distinguished VIP couples who also attended the festivities.

"I was taken away by the entire experience of the conference. The opportunity to meet and talk to so many of the artists that Park West represents was truly an experience of a lifetime. I now have a much more intimate feeling of Park West, how it operates and the amazing people involved in making the company what it is today," said associate auctioneer, Hooman Shad.

Attendees were treated to an opening ceremony and fine dining at the prestigious Ritz Carlton in Dearborn, Michigan. At the historic Henry Ford Museum everyone enjoyed full access to the museum's displays of impressive innovations and inventions. Guests were exulted by the entertainment at Detroit's luxurious MGM Grand Casino and Ignite Lounge. And finally, the ultimate culinary feast was had by all during the farewell party at the Roostertail, often host to celebrities including Tony Bennett, Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones and Aretha Franklin.

The Art Expo featured an introductory lecture by visionary pop artist, Peter Max, and other guest speakers included representatives from Kinkade and Disney Studios.

In addition to first-class auctions offering some of the best artwork in the Park West collection, auctioneers, trainees and VIPs had the opportunity to mingle and engage in discussions with the artists. Some of the artists, like Csaba Markus, were so inspired by the ambient creative energy that they set up mini-studios throughout Park West Gallery exhibition spaces. Onlookers enjoyed a rare glimpse into the creative process as they watched their favorite artists paint live before their eyes.

VIP guests, Tom and Judy of Corona California, complimented "The VIP event was awesome! The whole Park West staff went above and beyond to make it truly memorable. The friends we made and memories we shared will last for a long time."

Park West Gallery Newsletter - October Issue!

Attention Park West Gallery Newsletter fans - the October issue is here!

> CLICK HERE TO READ ISSUE 2

> CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

This month's features include:

• Artist Spotlight - Linda Le Kinff: The Graphic Work,
• New Linda Le Kinff Website,
• Park West Gallery Art Expo 2008,
• Park West Featured in Art World News,
• New Must See Videos
  

Park West Gallery Launches New Linda Le Kinff Website

Park West Gallery continues its 40 year tradition of connecting people with artists and fine art by inviting you to visit our new web site for artist Linda Le Kinff.

Park West Gallery's new Linda Le Kinff website features an updated biography of the artist, an online gallery of Le Kinff's artwork, YouTube videos and a forum for guests to share their thoughts about Le Kinff and her art.

Explore the new Linda Le Kinff site located on the web at http://www.parkwest-lekinff.com/.

Happy Boss's Day From the Park West Gallery Customer Service Team!

In celebration of Boss's Day 2008, the Park West Customer Service team would like to share some thoughts about our wonderful boss, "MG". Thanks for making Park West Gallery a great place to work! We love you!

> MG is a great boss; dedicated to us & the customer. She is always encouraging, and I feel lucky to have a boss like her. ~EH

> MG is the most personable and genuine boss I've ever had. She always balances professionalism with fun perfectly. Thanks for making Park West a great place to work! ~LW

> MG is great to work for because she realizes we are all human and takes the time to get to know us. She's like a mother hen in a good way! ~KS

> MG is the best boss. She is caring and supportive of her staff. She makes a point of taking care of us. She is a problem solver and she gets things done. ~SS

> MG is one of the best managers I have ever worked for, she is compassionate, understanding and so very fair in everything she does. She watches out for all of us like we were her children. God Bless MG!!!! Happy Bosses Day!!!! ~CB

> MG is very easy going, easy to work with and makes working here more enjoyable because she treats us like her children. She always makes sure everything is good for us in our working environment. ~JC

> MG is the best boss I've ever had--she's easy to talk to--understanding. In the middle of any stress or drama she makes it a little more fun to work here--she keeps us entertained. ~CK

> At Park West, we don’t just celebrate Bosses Week from Oct 12 – 18 we celebrate it 52 weeks a year. Our boss, lovingly known as MG, is the greatest. Everyone who knows her loves her, gallery staff, auctioneers, associates, vendors, artists and guests; she’s like a magnet, ready to back you up, help you out, pass along a good word or just give you a hug. She’s like the amazing energizer bunny on heels, still going strong after 10 years with Park West. Having worked with her for 5 years I am extremely grateful to have her as a boss, associate and friend. ~MC

> MG is the fashionista of Park West. ~JK

> MG is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. MG always worries over us, making sure everything is ok. She is your mom away from home. ~KK

> Thanks to MG in my life a new element is art, which inspires me everyday visually and mentally; art was not involved in my past, but since the day that MG met me and open the doors of the Gallery to me, I discovered a whole new world. She gave me confidence and support and even on the worst days, I don't feel uncomfortable because her smile makes my day bright. ~MAC

> MG is the mother bear of our Customer Service den. She keeps all of us together with her kindness, understanding and discipline. We love and respect her very much. ~LM

> MG makes the day with a funny story to start each morning. She is a wonderful boss, always willing to work with us in any situation. She is very easy to approach and shows concern. And she is so energetic, I'm glad to have her as my boss. ~PJ

Park West Gallery Poll - Who is Your Favorite Artist?

With only a few weeks left until the election for President of the United States and tonight's final debate between Barack Obama and John McCain, many Americans are busy deciding which candidate to choose. So we thought it would be interesting to conduct a little informal Park West Gallery poll of our own - who is your favorite artist?

Whether you enjoy the great masters like Salvador Dalí, Albrecht Dürer, Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall or Rembrandt or more contemporary artists like Peter Max, Itzchak Tarkay, Linda Le Kinff, Thomas Kinkade or Alfred Gockel - we would love to hear your thoughts!

Vote for your favorite artist by leaving a comment at our Park West Gallery Customer Service blog. Results will be published in a future posting and good luck to all!