It started as a joke. beardpaintings.tumblr.com

Two comedian buddies were making fun of how shaggy my beard had become, suggesting it could be used as a paintbrush. I thought this would be something to try to see if I was at least as good as an elephant, a child or a monkey. I painted with the beard while it was still on my face. I liked the results. I liked the process. I ruined many perfectly good shirts.

When I had completed a few paintings, I decided to put them online for sale to see if I could raise a little money for my friend Clare. Clare was seeking some alternative cancer treatments that were quite expensive, and I really wanted to chip in.

Soon, I couldn’t stop painting and I liked that the sale of these things could help people out. The sale of paintings have raised money for GlobalMedic’s earthquake relief efforts, Oxfam’s East Africa famine relief, and purchased a new wheelchair for comedian Ryan Lachance…oh and Clare was able to get those cancer treatments…pretty good.