Okey's Promise: Art for a Cause

12/18/2019

Here is a rare selfie of Okie and me. I think it’s the only one that I have. She was not one to get affectionate on cue, so it was hard to get us in the same photo. She would snuggle with me on her own terms. Everything had to be on HER terms.

As I am getting used to this new reality without her, I am reminded of Okey’s paradoxical spirit. She was timid and brave at the same time. Coy but loving, hopeful but anxious, independent but needy, adventurous but cautious.

Whatever her temperament, she always seemed full of possibility. She filled me with a sense of possibility.

She had a compelling story that I felt compelled to tell - through writing and through art. Her story about the connections between animal abuse and domestic violence moved people.

Lately I have backed off from story telling, and I feel remiss. Her story, and other stories need to be told.

I’d like to do something in the near future to share her story more fully. I’m not sure what that is at this point. I’m open to ideas. What would you like to see me do?

The love that my friends have shown as I cope with her loss and the recent loss of my sweet Noah has been very moving. Thank you for that. If you have ideas for how I can more completely tell Okey’s story, please share below. Thanks. ❤️

12/17/2019

Thanks for all the love offered for my dear Okey, who went to the Rainbow Bridge yesterday. She was a parking lot kitty when she found me 9 years ago. In this photo, she had made a shelter under the outdoor AC unit at the Okey Law Firm, after whom she was named. I rescued her soon after.

It’s really hard to get my head wrapped around talking about her in the past tense. Losing her so young really took me by surprise. I always thought I’d have her much longer. I’m so grateful for the time I did have with her.

I’ll always love you, my sweet Okey Doke. ❤️

12/17/2019

I have not done much with this page of late, but I did want to share the sad news that Okey, the little cat who inspired it, has gone to the Rainbow Bridge. I will miss her dearly. I want to do more to celebrate her legacy in the future, but for now, I just need to get used to life without her. 😿💔

I had to say goodbye to my sweet little Okey today. It’s so hard to say goodbye to such a special creature. Okey, I will always love you. I did not give you up, but I did have to let you go. I’m going to miss you soooo much. 😿💔

Okey started having adverse symptoms last week and then she declined rapidly. She was a very anxious cat, so we did not put her through a full litany of tests, but the bloodwork suggested cancer. By the time she started showing symptoms, her body had already started shutting down. There was not much that could be done for her other than saying goodbye.

I cannot tell you how heartbroken I am. I just lost Noah, and now Okey - the pain is unbearable.

Okey was my little promise keeper. She was a fragile creature who craved attention but was terrified to trust. She and I worked out a balance in our 9 years together, and our bond was very deep. She inspired Okey’s Promise: Art for a Cause that resulted in 3 public art projects that were crowdfunded and sponsored by caring people. Her story was inspiring. It brought me, and many others to believe in possibilities.

I have not done much with Okey’s Promise of late. I’d like to eventually do more art to commemorate her legacy. I’m open to suggestions. You can see what was done in the past at: www.okeyspromise.com.

Thank you to all who have shown support for my art and my little cat during her time with me. This was my favorite photo of her, with her timid but eager eyes, and her long, skinny legs stretched out in front of her.

The song “Lullaby” by the Dixie Chicks was, and is, Okey’s and my song.

“How long do you wanna be loved? Is forever enough? ‘Cause I'm never, never giving you up.”

You can listen to “Lullaby” here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OjAYkFpyqp8

Never giving you up, Okey. Never. ❤️❤️❤️

09/09/2017

So grateful to Team Rubicon and other rescuers in Harvey's wake who know how important the human animal bond is, and who go to great lengths to rescue pets along with their human companions.

10/04/2014

http://okeyspromise.com/inspiration/world-animal-day-celebrating-the-human-animal-bond

"If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who deal likewise with their fellow men. All creatures have the same source as we...

09/10/2014

Instead of just expressing outrage at the Ray Rice videos, let's change to .

is more than a hashtag. It is a trend, yes, where women have taken to social media to share their domestic violence experiences with solidarity. But it is so much more than that. Each t...

09/05/2014

08/29/2014

I have retooled the blog a bit, and I am looking at other social concerns as part of the Okey's Promise mission. here are some thoughts about the unrest in Ferguson, MO.

" Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." ~ Martin Luther King, JR. After watching recent events in Ferguson, MO unfold on co...

03/03/2014

The latest Okey's Promise: Art for a Cause project is finished! Read the update about how it all came together. Thanks to all for your support of this great project!

Okey's Promise: Art for a Cause, named for a small rescued cat, is an initiative that brings awareness to an important social issue through creative, public art.An avid pet lover, animal rescue advocate and child welfare advocate, Artist BZTAT uses her art to raise awareness to the connections be...

01/09/2014

Very sad to hear of this story. Please read and share to bring peace to those who loved Mary at Rikki's Refuge. Rikki's was one of the Santa Paws Drive shelters this year, and they do great work for many animals in need.

I learned of a very tragic story today. I often see sad tales of animal abuse that move me to tears, but this one struck me more deeply than most. Mary, a 12 year emu who had found refuge from the ...

10/03/2013

On August 5, 2011, my "Safe Animals Safe Kids Mural" was dedicated in a prominent place in the Canton Arts District on the side of the Imperial Room Lounge at 4th Street and Court Ave. NW. I was th...

09/29/2013

To ensure the safety of women in danger, we need to make sure there is safety for their pets.

Veterinarians and women's shelters can make it easier for abused women to decide to leave their homes, particularly when the abuser is using a beloved pet as part of a campaign to control his partner, reports a new University of Illinois study.