What is Random Gifts of Art?

It’s a book. It’s a comedy tour. It’s a social art project with a TEDx talk. It’s a way to reach out.

Random Gifts of Art is an art project. Or a social project. Or an attempt to live life more fully. Or maybe to scratch the itch in all of us to reach out and see who’s there. Garret Garrels and Tim Holmes are spreading art, creative ideas, books, and kindnesses of all around and into the world.

Generosity pulses in all of us just under the skin. We all love people and we long to connect generously with others. It’s one of the most fulfilling things we do. Slipping into that mode happens at any moment with the slightest gesture. We’d like to see that happen more often. Perhaps even embrace it as a way of life.

Curious? Wanna hear some tales? Have a story to tell? Random Gifts of Art starts there, but continues on in surprising directions. We wonder where or if it will end…

GG 72 Grasp
Generosity is who we all are.

Lineup

We are social creatures, longing for an authentic connection, a possibility that’s often very close.

A Private Lark Goes International

Speaker/storyteller Garret Garrels and artist Tim Holmes collaborate to create a multi-dimensional performance art project based on Random Gifts of Art, a social art movement spreading generosity and connecting people across our world. It all started as a personal means of friendly outreach as Garret traveled around the U.S. and Europe from his home in Helena, Montana. It was a simple idea: to give Tim’s original art to random strangers along the way and ask nothing in return. But generosity is contagious!

The success of that simple idea has led to a website, a book, a TV show and a TEDx talk. Then the project morphed into a funny yet poignant live performance. Following a rousing premier, the show headed to Europe for a short tour in spring 2016 and again in 2017 (see Tour Blog). In a world where there’s too much fear and we all become too disconnected from each other, perhaps the medicine we need is a spark of generosity. See if you can go any further without being overtaken by a smile.

Random Gifts of Art on TED

Random Gifts opens TEDxBozeman

Recipients of art gifts and readers of the book are encouraged to add their own story of getting or giving the gift. They are often simple and touching tales, some of which are FEATURED, and any of which can be searched in the box above.

Theater Show European Tour

Random Gifts of Art has gone through many iterations, including a live performance of a “philosphical comedy” version of the story. This one-act interactive play premiered in 2015 and then went on European tours in 2016 and 2017. That fall the show appeared in the Last Chance New Play Fest, where we won an award for best original script! One thing led to another and soon we had our own TV show! What fun!!

Check out our TV series, Tales of Whoa! 

Random Gifts of Art: What to expect next?

Tim and Garret goof off in Budapest
Tim and Garret goof off in Budapest