A JoinTheDot™ interactive drawing, by internationally known artist David Ilan, gives people everywhere a unique platform on topics of interest and importance by creating a one-of-a-kind art piece made from hundreds of thousands – sometimes millions – of tiny hand drawn dots on canvas. Each dot represents one person and their story or message.
Dots = People + Their Messages
By signing up for free online and getting a dot in a JoinTheDot™ drawing, people become part of “the big picture.” Individuals are able to connect their dots to each other in a truly unique and powerful drawing that they helped create. After getting their dots and sharing their message, participants continue to come to the website to follow the progress of the drawing, read the messages of others, and take part in a social networking community with others who are part of the work of art.
JoinTheDot™ spotlights various subjects, from the presidential election, disaster relief and finding a cure to cancer … to pop culture entertainment. JoinTheDot™ invites the public to sign up for their free dot on the website and share their message. As more people sign up each day, the drawing grows.
It all started in 2007 when artist David Ilan, known for his pointillism drawings of top celebrities, decided to do something more meaningful with his work. He came up with the idea of having each dot in one of his drawings represent a person and their true-to-life story.
This simple concept developed into Points With Purpose, a drawing and website dedicated to giving survivors of rape and sexual abuse a much needed voice. Within weeks of starting this interactive drawing, thousands of people from more than 125 countries signed up – and continue to every day. This work of art (still in the works) was critically acclaimed and attracted the attention of the media. Points With Purpose soon sparked JoinTheDot™, a social networking online platform that promotes various causes for social good, as well as pop culture events. Every JoinTheDot™ events has a charitable wing.
The first JoinTheDot™ event, What’s Your Message to the Next President, was launched in the summer of 2008. This nonpartisan ongoing event promotes the spirit of positive politics and celebrates The Voice of the People. It was produced in partnership with Rock the Vote and in collaboration with Ken Kragen (the legendary social-good event organizer of “We Are The World” and “Hands Across America”). It was sponsored by American Airlines.
Following the election, What’s Your Message to the Next President became The Making of Barack Obama’s Presidential Portrait. It was approved by Obama’s Visual Arts Committee and attracted the interest of The Smithsonian museum. People around the world will continue to be able to get their dot in President Obama’s portrait throughout the four years of his first term (http://www.JoinTheDot.com).
At present, David Ilan has been commissioned by the Special Olympics (Southern California) to do a dot drawing as a fundraiser in celebration of their 40th Anniversary (http://www.DotDrawing.com).
The Mulligans Project was sparked by the worldwide economic crisis and inspired by the motion picture, Mulligans (produced by Charlie David and Linda Carter). |
JoinTheDot™ combines works of art with words of wisdom and inspiration.