Donor Spotlight: Meet Omaste

Omaste Witkowski

How did you come up with your idea?

I have been selling fine art prints since December 2012. Originally it was a hobby that I pursued on evenings and weekends and now I have a portfolio of over 1,000 images and consistently sell art to collectors around the world. Up until now, most of my sales are online and I don’t always get to meet the people who collect my art. When I moved to Boise with my husband and family last summer, one of my main goals upon arrival was to get out and meet people. I also have a strong desire to give back to the community I live in by volunteering. Then last fall I had the idea to create an online gallery of artwork to offer for sale and donate the proceeds to a local charitable organization.

Why did you choose the WCA?

This goal brought me to the Boise Women’s and Children’s Alliance. I did some Internet searches for local charitable organizations and I was drawn to the Boise Women’s and Children’s Alliance because of their expressed vision and mission. I was immediately intrigued and excited to volunteer my time to create and help market my art to benefit their organization. Eventually I contacted the WCA, and Susan Kelley suggested the idea of Butterflies and I loved it so much I couldn’t wait to start creating butterflies.

Tell me about your project.

I have created an online gallery of work called “Stained Glass Digital Butterflies”. These lovely creatures were crafted from a complex layering technique that combines illustrations with macro photographs with colored paint layers and original digital patterns. The end result is similar to what you would see in a stained glass art piece. As an Artist, I specialize in creating art that brings light and joy into your home or office. My work is full of color and vibrant life. No matter what the subject is I will interpret it with vivid shades of natural colors. Colors are a passion of mine and I spend hours mixing them and designing patterns and symbols that express specific moods and ideas. These butterflies are all designed with a different energy, and are unique in style and color. I wanted to express as many different ideas around Transformation, Hope, Safety, Freedom, Healing and Courage as was possible. Each one I have worked on has evoked different feelings for me, and connections to my life and my story. All images in this gallery can be purchased as framed prints, canvas prints, acrylic prints, cards, posters, throw pillows and more.

View the gallery here.

Why I Give:

I have personally faced abuse and transformation in my own life and I am eternally grateful for the people in the world who have helped me to heal and move forward. I am also grateful for the opportunity to be in a position where I can help others and continue my own healing journey. I believe that a large part of healing is giving back in order to help others heal and grow.