Brian Andreas

I was first introduced to Brian Andreas during my senior year of high school. I took a Religions of the World class where we were exposed to faiths from all parts of the globe. The class was about exploring different forms of spirituality while finding your own. Every class we would start with a prayer. Each student was given the opportunity to open the class with something that represented her faith and spirituality. It could be serious or a fun activity. I had the most amazing teacher, Ms. Hayes. She was so in tuned to her own spirituality and had so many great words of wisdom for her young age. She provided a sample prayer the first day which included my first experience of Brian Andreas. He is a writer/sculptor/painter who writes short paragraphs or sentences that focus on memories, stories or words of wisdom. He combines them with drawings that almost look like a kid has drawn them which gives then a raw edge. Ms.Hayes read us "Real Reason" which states, "There are things you do because they feel right and they may make no sense and they make no money and it may be the real reason we are here: to love each other and to eat each other's cooking and say it was good." We were then asked to write our own story. Some piece of wisdom that relates to who we are and what we hope to accomplish in this world. I don't remember exactly what I wrote, but I remember wanting to touch the lives of others by doing something great. I wanted to write and hope to change the lives or even make it just a little bit better with the words I wrote. Ever since that class in high school I have been obsessed with Brian Andreas. He created a company entitled, StoryPeople, where anyone can have access to his stories and prints. I find myself going to storypeople.com whenever I'm feeling stressed and need or relax or just read something funny. I was blessed to receive three of his books for Christmas which I immediately read and have marked some of my favorite quotes. I was even inspired to produce some of my "wooden art" based on some of the drawings from Brian Andreas which are looking fabulous in my room. More to come on my wooden pieces in later blogs ....

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

I can't sleep. It's late and there is nothing on TV. The perfect moment to describe one of the most amazing stories I have ever heard. I was first exposed to The Diving Bell and the Butterfly during AAC class last semester. We watched the movie during class and I received the book for Christmas. It is a very easy read and I finished it in a day. This story is truly remarkable. It is the story of the previous editor of the French edition of Elle magazine that was written in the blink of an eye, literally. Jean-Dominique Bauby suffered a stroke at the age of 43. He was completely paralyzed and suffered from what is called, 'locked-in syndrome'. He is a prisoner in his own body and his only way of communicating is through the blinking of his left eye. During his time at the Naval Hospital he composed this memoir. He would wake up very early in the morning before the nurse came into his room and he would memorize what he wanted to write for the day. A woman would then come to his room to compose him sentences. She would read through the alphabet and he would blink his eye when the correct letter was read to form words, sentences, paragraphs, chapters and finally this book as the finished product. The book follows his life in the Naval Hospital and his thoughts and feelings about being 'locked-in'. He describes what goes on around him and things he notices that other don't. His is amazing. I can't imagine my life being taken away from me like that. His children come to visit, but he isn't able to hug them. His father isn't able to make the trip so he calls, but Jean-Dominique isn't able to physically answer. He relates his situation to a diving bell and a butterfly (hence the title ha). His body is the diving bell that continuously sinks deeper and deeper into the ocean, while his thoughts and his mind are his savior that takes him away from being 'locked-in'. In the book he says, "My diving bell becomes less oppressive, and my mind takes flight like a butterfly." In one chapter of the book he describes taking a trip to Hong Kong for a conference. He has never been to Hong Kong, but he gets lost in his thoughts for hours and pictures himself in his previous lifestyle. The movie was made in French, and although you have to read the subtitles, it is something to be seen. The book must be read as well. I would finish a page and wonder how long it took for this page to be produced. The entire experience was definitely life changing and makes you think about the simple things in life we so easily take for granted.

My Obsession

I'm obsessed with art. Any kind of art. Photography, fashion, painting, pottery, literature, music, crafts, theatre, knitting, cooking, dance. I love all of it. It takes my breath away. When I was younger it was such a treat to be able to dress up and go to the theatre to see a play. My favorite, The Nutcracker. I loved the idea of living in a world where all of your dreams become a reality. I loved the part where the oversized woman would come out on stage and her children would pop out of her large skirt and dance across the stage. It's so magical. I even wish to someday name my future daughter after Clara, the main character who I wished I could be. I love to read. I was always the girl with her nose stuck in a book and I attempt to keep it there whenever I have the time to read something other than my text books. I knit. I began knitting my senior year in high school and have made numerous basic scarves, but just recently have expanded my abilities to socks, hats, mittens, and most recently a baby bunny blanket. I paint. Not prints or watercolorts, but what I call, "wooden art". My dad will cut out anything out of wood that I draw for him and paint it, usually based on something I've seen. I don't consider myself an artist because my level of artistic ability needs an immense amount of growth, but I can't help but make an attempt. This blog will be a collection of my growth as an artist and a tribute to those who have become my inspiration. My first is a prayer. I found it in a book of women's prayers given to me by a family friend for my college graduation. While I have flipped through the book and read the prayers on pages I happen to open I have no made the attempt to sid down and read through it. This year I'm going to try to read one every morning to help relieve a little stress and start out my day on the right foot. Here is my daily prayer ....



The Truth About Myself

O God,

help me to believe

the truth about myself-

no matter how beautiful it is.

- Macrina Wiederkehr