Over five years ago, I was the recipient of workplace violence. ('Recipient' may sound odd, but I don't view myself as being a victim.) I addressed this experience in this post, talking about how it was a gift in that it lead me down a different path, pushing me straight into my career as an artist. What I did not mention in that post is that after creating the piece mentioned in that post, "Leaving the Darkness Behind", I sought out a professional to scan it for me. Enter Buffalo Big Print, who scanned that piece and who has scanned all of my artwork since 2014. They are the ones who approached me last year about holding an art show in their gallery, and because of those wonderful people, this was possible:
As the pieces for this show were selected and the threads of the show were coming together, the show's title revealed itself to me. After all, these pieces were all "Stories of Healing".
Back in 2014, in the days and weeks following the violent incident, I thought the universe had already bestowed its gifts upon me, that the doors of opportunity that were going to open had already opened. Yet, as I walked home on the night of the 7th of February 2020, I realized that the biggest gift to come out of this was given to me that night: my first art show. The second-biggest gift to come out of this was given to me that night, too: the kind hearts of friends and strangers coming out to make it a successful show. There was so much laughter and love in the space that night. That wonderful experience was worth the moments of violence 5 years ago. I hold deep gratitude for the violence. Its sharpness and abruptness were necessary to alter my trajectory. The doors continue to open, all these years later.
All current artwork can be found in my profile at Fine Art America. Thank you for your time and your support.
