Earlier this week I was doing what I usually do to waste time when I should be working and writing articles for deadline day. When the words don't find their way to my finger tips sometimes I need to divert my attention for a while and not try to force them out - so - that's what I was doing when I ran across an article about a woman, a survivor of domestic violence, who was using her gifts of survival along with her talent to reach out to others and bring awareness.
When I opened up the page that contained the article immediately my eyes were drawn to the picture that accompanied the article....a picture that contained an image that struck me to the core - it was a painting of a beautiful butterfly - a colorful and full of life image however what got me was the slash marks that tore at - violence that may have tried to take away from it's beauty actually added to it. That image called to me and summed up so many emotions that I walk my life feeling every day.
Needless to say I had to read every word of the article rather than just scan it. I needed to know who painted that picture, and why it was slashed - I needed to know why I felt that bond.
And that's when I learned about the artist....the survivor...Michelle Johnson Major.
Michelle, like so many, had her world shattered when domestic violence entered her life ending with her husband, the man she loved....the man who was the father of the infant her womb carried, tried to kill her. To end her life, and the baby that grew within. It was also during that attack that he took a knife to her paintings and slashed them.
Michelle survived the attempted murder....so did the child....
But what is even more inspiring is that Michelle's road to recovery is one that uses the reminders of that day to reach out to others. I do not want to tell her story and her reason for this path....that belongs to her and you can read about it here.... Be A Voice Arts.
After reading about her and what she was doing I befriended her on Facebook, and she asked me to share with everyone a challenge ...the I Have A Voice Challenge...
In her words, and from her site she explains what that challenge is below....
I plan on taking part of the challenge....will you?
Visit the link below for more details....
I HAVE A VOICE!
My creative vision for these ATC's is this:
I want to create a work of art where the cards hang on my wedding dress as an interactive gallery piece. The reason I am creating this wedding VOICE piece comes as an outcropping of a painting I did called "Til Death". 'Til Death' is a painting of me as a bride, tortured and hopeless, with 'X's" over the mouth to symbolize the secret and shame and inability to speak up during a relationship of abuse. After viewing that portrait, one would think that my wedding dress would be a symbol of the loss of hopes and dreams for a marriage and a future, yet in actuality, the dress will be transformed to symbolize the literal artistic VOICES that have come together as one to "Speak Up Against Domestic Violence". I want to hang all the submitted cards from the dress skirt and viewers can come up, turn the cards over in their hands, move around the piece and experience the "Voices!" I am hoping to generate enough response to fill up the skirt. I think it will be a very powerful piece and full of hope!
Help me fill the dress with YOUR artistic voice.
You may save a life!
Forever shine,
Michelle
When I opened up the page that contained the article immediately my eyes were drawn to the picture that accompanied the article....a picture that contained an image that struck me to the core - it was a painting of a beautiful butterfly - a colorful and full of life image however what got me was the slash marks that tore at - violence that may have tried to take away from it's beauty actually added to it. That image called to me and summed up so many emotions that I walk my life feeling every day.
Needless to say I had to read every word of the article rather than just scan it. I needed to know who painted that picture, and why it was slashed - I needed to know why I felt that bond.
And that's when I learned about the artist....the survivor...Michelle Johnson Major.
Michelle, like so many, had her world shattered when domestic violence entered her life ending with her husband, the man she loved....the man who was the father of the infant her womb carried, tried to kill her. To end her life, and the baby that grew within. It was also during that attack that he took a knife to her paintings and slashed them.
Michelle survived the attempted murder....so did the child....
But what is even more inspiring is that Michelle's road to recovery is one that uses the reminders of that day to reach out to others. I do not want to tell her story and her reason for this path....that belongs to her and you can read about it here.... Be A Voice Arts.
After reading about her and what she was doing I befriended her on Facebook, and she asked me to share with everyone a challenge ...the I Have A Voice Challenge...
In her words, and from her site she explains what that challenge is below....
I plan on taking part of the challenge....will you?
Visit the link below for more details....
I HAVE A VOICE!
My creative vision for these ATC's is this:
I want to create a work of art where the cards hang on my wedding dress as an interactive gallery piece. The reason I am creating this wedding VOICE piece comes as an outcropping of a painting I did called "Til Death". 'Til Death' is a painting of me as a bride, tortured and hopeless, with 'X's" over the mouth to symbolize the secret and shame and inability to speak up during a relationship of abuse. After viewing that portrait, one would think that my wedding dress would be a symbol of the loss of hopes and dreams for a marriage and a future, yet in actuality, the dress will be transformed to symbolize the literal artistic VOICES that have come together as one to "Speak Up Against Domestic Violence". I want to hang all the submitted cards from the dress skirt and viewers can come up, turn the cards over in their hands, move around the piece and experience the "Voices!" I am hoping to generate enough response to fill up the skirt. I think it will be a very powerful piece and full of hope!
Help me fill the dress with YOUR artistic voice.
You may save a life!
Forever shine,
Michelle
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