As a contemporary artist, I believe that creativity has the power to spark change. Over the years, I’ve used my art to support a variety of causesfrom wildlife conservation to children’s healthcare blending passion with purpose.
Glen Josselsohn in studio.
Animal Welfare - June 2016 – 2022
As part of the Just One Thing 365 initiative led by Petra Leranjo , I donated original artworks to animal shelters across South Africa. Each piece was inspired by the cause of animal welfare, with the aim of raising funds and creating greater awareness for animals in need.
Blanket Drives & Awareness Campaigns
Alongside Petra Leranjo and Joel Berman, I actively participated in seasonal drives to provide winter blankets, food, and essential care to shelter animals—using both art and outreach to spread compassion.
Painting with Rescue Dogs – June 2016
In a heartwarming creative initiative, I collaborated with rescue dogs, using safe, non-toxic paint to let them participate in the painting process. The result was a series of meaningful, one-of-a-kind artworks that captured their spirit and directly supported fundraising efforts for their shelters.
Fighting Human Trafficking
March 2015 – “Birds on Reeds” This prints on T shirts were created and sold to support anti-human trafficking efforts. The proceeds helped fund awareness programs Against Human Trafficking.
Wildlife Conservation: Save the Rhino
August 2013 I took part in the Save the Rhino campaign by painting one of the iconic life-sized plaster Rhinos displayed throughout South Africa. Each piece was auctioned for R50,000 to raise awareness and funds for rhino preservation.
Displaying the Rhino in Parkhurst Johannesburg
Smaller ceramic Rhinos were made and sold, proceeds donated to the My Rhino cause.
Community Competition – Parkhurst, Johannesburg To further raise awareness, participants could win ceramic Rhinos by engaging on my Facebook page. Smaller ceramic rhinos were sold, with all proceeds donated to the My Rhino cause.
Operation Smile & Ubuntu Pathways
April 2019 – Brooklyn, NY At Gleason’s Gym in New York, I assisted a fundraising art auction supporting Operation Smile and Ubuntu Pathways, organizations dedicated to helping children in need of surgery and sustainable healthcare solutions. I participated by donating my art and also helped several other artists get their work featured at the event.
My signature piece sold at a record price that evening, marking a proud moment in using art to bring healing across borders.
Smile Foundation – South Africa
February 2022 – Hyde Park, Johannesburg I created a series of artworks for dedicated sponsors of the Smile Foundation, which supports children with facial conditions and burn injuries.
Glen Josselsohn with Jeff Lipshitz and Mark Lubner, the foundation’s founder, we continue to champion transformative surgeries and long-term care for children.
Smile’s 21st Birthday
To commemorate the foundation’s milestone, I created custom prints as gifts for guests.
Smile Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the lives of children suffering from facial deformities such as cleft lips and palates, burn injuries, and other craniofacial conditions
Youth Sports Development
May 2019 I raised funds to help underprivileged South African school children participate in international water polo tournaments, empowering them through sport and global exposure.
Hope for Israel
October 7, 2023 Following the tragic terror attacks in Israel, I launched the Art of Giving initiative to raise funds for victims and displaced families. Media Appearance – November 2023 In an interview with i24News Benita Levine at their Jaffa studios, I shared my mission to use art to support those affected by the October 7 attacks.
Getting ready for my Interview at i24 studios with Benita Levine
Prints for a Cause – In Association with One Family
In the wake of the October 7th tragedy, I partnered with One Family, an organization dedicated to supporting victims of terror in Israel. I created a limited series of prints in blue, symbolizing the strength and spirit of the Israeli flag. These artworks were sold to raise urgent funds for families who were directly impacted, displaced, or grieving the loss of loved ones.
Supporting Special Needs in Israel
I’ve partnered with Shutafim Balev, an extraordinary organization supporting autistic children and their families in Jerusalem. These families face daily challenges — from the need for mobility devices and specialized beds to full-time caregivers and safe, nurturing housing. To help make a difference, I’ve donated one of my original artworks: a menorah, a powerful symbol of light, resilience, and hope. Just as the menorah brings light into darkness, this piece represents the strength and potential within every child, no matter their circumstances.
Supporting Concierge for Tactical Gear & Equipment
On October 7, 2020, Seagalit Hagege and her family made aliyah to Israel. Exactly three years later, on October 7, 2023, as they celebrated a milestone, news of the war in Israel changed everything. Since then, she has led a grassroots effort—through TACTICAL ZONE and Kadima Concierge—to provide essential tactical gear to IDF soldiers, including helmets, vests, and uniforms. Her initiative, Helmets 4 Chayalim, aims to enhance the safety and morale of Israeli soldiers by ensuring they are properly equipped. Seagalit calls on individuals, communities, and organizations to support this vital mission through donations and partnership, embodying the spirit of kindness and resilience that defines Israel.
“Windows of Light” — Inspiration Behind the Work - Glen Josselsohn
This painted helmet is dedicated to the resilience of Israeli soldiers—our sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters—who walk through fire with strength in their hearts and light in their souls.
The light blue squares painted across the surface represent inner windows—moments of clarity, hope, and connection to something greater. In the midst of war, in the weight of uncertainty, these young men and women carry within them a piece of the Israeli sky—open, vast, and enduring.
At the base of the helmet, the Magen David—the Star of David—stands as a symbol of protection, faith, and unity. It grounds this piece in the heart of Israel, reminding us of the collective strength and purpose we share as a people. This symbol shines not only as a sign of national pride, but as an eternal anchor of identity and divine protection.
Each stroke of blue is a prayer in color, a silent promise that even under the helmet, there is a whole world—a dreamer, a protector, a human being who believes in the possibility of peace.This piece honors not only their sacrifice, but the spirit of a nation that refuses to lose hope.Even in the darkest hour, we remember who we are.And we paint our light into the future.
