Richmond Heights, OH -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/07/2013 -- As many critics agree, it is vital that more people are both exposed to and involved in the creative art process. S.C. Versillee, a renowned oil painter and multimedia artist, also believes that artists around the world deserve greater appreciation. With this in mind, Versillee has announced a ground-breaking new project to improve the bond between art and the general public.

“A recent study showed that 96% of Americans appreciate art, while only 27% value artists. I think many people regard artists as strange, aloof or somehow removed from ordinary life,” she explains. Continuing, “To many people modern art has also trivialized the creative process. That’s why I am inviting supporters to my new ‘Precious: A Biography of Hands’ project, where I’ll be painting portraits of their hands and compiling a bound limited-edition collection of the finished work.”

At just $145 per portrait, the investment deliberately attempts to reduce art’s intimidation factor while not devaluing Versillee’s work. “The price for these portraits is way below what I would normally charge, but I want to encourage as many participants as possible and prove that art really is accessible to the greater population,” she adds.

Once the crowdfunding portion of the project is complete, supporters will be sent a private link to upload a photo of their hands holding an object that is meaningful to them and their lives. Each picture and supporting information will be constructed by Versillee into a biographical oil painting and shipped by spring of 2014.

Versillee will maintain regular contact with donors throughout the project and provide visual updates as paintings are completed. This unique connection between artist and buyer will offer supporters an immersive art experience, allowing them to better understand the creative process and end up with a high-quality final portrait.

With Kickstarter’s ‘all-or-nothing’ funding arrangement, donors will only be charged if the total campaign goal is reached by Friday 7th June at 11:59 EST. To be successful, the project requires the purchase of fifty portraits.

As an extra incentive, Versillee will be selecting five of the first twenty-five backers to have their portraits painted, no matter how much they originally chose to back the project with.

With an exciting few months ahead, Versillee is delighted to be utilizing the full benefits of the crowdfunding model.

“It’s slightly intimidating, but also inspires the best out of you. Crowdfunding is an empowering game-changer for artists and their work. I’m thrilled to participate in this movement and hope to prove to millions that art can be enjoyed, purchased and cherished by literally anyone,” she concludes.

For more information about ‘Precious: A Biography of Hands’, visit the project page at:
www.kickstarter.scversillee.com

About S. C. Versillee
S. C. Versillee is an award-winning artist. Her paintings have been collected nationally and her work has appeared in various shows and publications including ‘Painter: The World’s Finest Painter Art’. She is an advocate for creative living and making art accessible to wider audiences.