Valley charities question philanthropy of local artist

With hundreds of non-profits in the desert, how can you tell who’s trying to do good, and who really is?

CBS Local 2’s Brooke Beare investigates a local artist who offered his services to 30 Valley charities in a unique fundraising effort.

Recently 30 Valley charities were gifted with attention from an up and coming artist, who offered his services and talents in a unique fundraising effort.

But some of the charities say they were actually dealing with a con artist.

Peter Mikulak’s colorful personality and dynamic paintings catapulted his visibility in the Valley in just a few short years.

As a street artist under the tall shadows of Marilyn Monroe downtown, to the walls of Palm Springs’ most popular restaurants.

Mikulak’s success on social media also resonated with many, and that ability to connect with others through art, inspired an ambitious project last summer, called 30 days of good.

Over the course of 30 days, Mikulak dropped in on charities all over the Valley to share his skills and his time to raise awareness for these organizations. He documented each visit in photos and videos shared by himself and the non-profits.

Angelina Castleberry took part in one of the videos, which showed Mikulak volunteering at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital. Castleberry’s charity, Made for a Miracle, supports local families with newborns in intensive care. Castleberry later posted she felt “blessed” to be part of the project, which culminated on Sept. 30, with a “Night with Mikulak.”

Mikulak created paintings for each charity inspired by his experiences there, and the invitations advertised “the (artwork) auction will benefit… American Cancer Society, Desert Best Friend’s Closet, Made for a Miracle…and many others.”

Mikulak also took to Facebook, claiming “all money…100 percent of the art sales, goes directly back to charity.”When the night was over, Mikulak publicly rejoiced. Every painting had sold.

“I know the person that bought his painting,” said Castleberry.But Castleberry said Made for a Miracle, never made a penny.”It’s almost fraud,” she said.

CBS Local 2 contacted one charity after another to ask if they’d gotten any money from Mikulak’s art auction.

The only one which had, was the Desi Strong Foundation.

“I feel like I was misled,” said Lori Weiner, of California Paws Rescue “I feel like our charity was misled. “Weiner said the painting created for her small pet adoption foundation did sell. “But we never saw a dime of it.”

Weiner also claims Mikulak’s story kept changing. “We got nothing out of it. I did donate $300 for his art supplies, because he said he didn’t have any money for his art supplies.”

Months passed, and word got out that Mikulak was arrested on domestic violence charges. He also posted about buying a new car, and some of the people he’d tried to help, started to feel like they’d been hurt.

“That’s the first new vehicle I’ve owned in ten years,” said Mikulak, who agreed to discuss the allegations.He said he used public transportation for the last decade, and also slept on the streets. He said Coachella Valley Rescue Mission helped him realize his worth as an artist.

“I went down there, and after the second day of being at the mission, eight years ago… (Executive Director Darla Burkett) didn’t look at me like some possible drug addict… ‘What can we do to help you?’ She gave me special privileges…I never stopped…I remember when you came through our doors…look at you now?

He said the 30 days of Good project was overwhelming, and may have been more than he could handle.

“He used our organization and the other organizations to raise that money,” said Castleberry. “That money doesn’t belong to him.”

“Whatever is done in the dark will eventually come to light. Period. I’m a man of integrity,” he claimed.

When asked if the charities ever received the money generated from the sale of the artwork, Mikulak said, “There was no money generated.”

When pressed on the issue, he clarified, “It was actually $3,200 (raised). And if I broke down what it cost to actually create each piece of artwork, the venue, the tables, and so on and so on…”

Several charitable organizations said Mikulak pleaded for financial help during 30 Days of Good, and they contributed toward his costs. A youcaring site was also launched to cover the cost of Mikulak’s canvas and paint, which showed an additional $450 donated to the project.

“I have every right to you know, at least, get the money I put into it,” defended Mikulak. “I’m just a young artist. I’m not starving, but by no means am I living any grand lifestyle.”

In an emotional interview that lasted close to an hour, Mikulak frequently broke down in tears, and said he was crushed to learn many of the paintings sold for far below their listing price.

“When I saw numbers, it was embarrassing to go back to these charities. I figured, it didn’t generate any money, but that was the purpose, so…”

Regardless of how much people paid for the paintings, many individuals wrote checks thinking that those checks were going to the charities represented at the auction, such as Ronald McDonald House, or American Cancer Society.

“You know, $3,200? If they want it, I’ll get it out my bank right now and give it to them. If it’s that serious. But to me, that’s pathetic. It’s crazy. I could be so much more of an asset than $100 to each charity, you know what I mean?” Mikulak asked.

Some organizations did say they felt Mikulak’s heart was in the right place. Desert Best Friend’s Closet, Ronald McDonald House of the Inland Empire, and Desert Arc told CBS Local 2 they were satisfied with offers Mikulak made to create more art for them.

“He did a live performance of him painting some artwork at our shelter,” said Maribel Pimentel of Safehouse of the Desert.

Pimentel said Mikulak’s dedication during the day he spent with them, displayed his good intentions.

“We understand that he wanted to do more, and by him taking the initiative to give us a call and offering to provide us two custom pieces where we would be able to make more money, we thought it was fine,” she said.

Mikulak asserted that he still wants to “do good.”

“I have a plan, I do. And it’s not going to sit like this. Because in no way shape or form, am I going to allow people to see me as something other than what I’m not. I apologize, I can’t change the past.”

But Lori Weiner, and others, don’t believe it, and want to warn others that everyone who says they’re out to do good, really is.

“The point is when somebody says they’re going to do something, and it is for a charity…that they stand by their word,” she said.