| The beauty of art transcends many things in our | | | | it. People know that she can relate. Art was there to |
| world. It makes a beautiful mind even more beautiful. | | | | spark life back into her and now she in turn gives |
| It also is the balm that soothes all ailments. When | | | | back. That's a lesson we could all stand to learn. |
| you feel like you are having a great day, you ought | | | | When I first heard the story about Joni, I thought |
| to express yourself through art. And when you feel | | | | how original, such a miraculous story. When I started |
| like the world is totally against you, the battle you | | | | writing this article, I did a search on the net to remind |
| face is all uphill, you should turn to art in those times | | | | myself of certain details. Joni is buried somewhere in |
| as well. | | | | the bottom of the pile because there are example |
| I once knew of a lady who had her whole life before | | | | after example of how artists have fought back from |
| her. She had just graduated high school and she had | | | | their own adversity. Artists who are paralyzed or |
| been selected by a top college in the country. She | | | | challenged in some other way are practicing art and |
| was enjoying a nice summer day out on the lake. | | | | getting through life just fine. |
| They had a platform where she was sunbathing in | | | | To name a few, there's Dennis Francesconi, an artist |
| the middle of the water. She decided to jump in and | | | | from Fresno, California who broke his neck and |
| take a swim. That was the last time she walked. She | | | | immediately became a quadriplegic as a result of a |
| was paralyzed when she hit the bottom. | | | | boat skiing accident. Then there's Erin Brady |
| I remember reading a book about her. It was very | | | | Worsham, an artist who paints with her eyebrows. |
| inspiring. Completely paralyzed in a wheelchair, she | | | | She battles with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and she |
| never lost sight of life. Joni Eareckson Tada picked up | | | | can neither move nor breathe on her own. But, wires |
| a brush with her mouth and started painting. But | | | | taped to her eyebrows that connect to a keyboard |
| while most people would paint images expressing a | | | | on her wheelchair allow her to manipulate images on |
| sense of loss in such a situation, Joni painted the | | | | her computer screen. Her paintings take her about |
| most beautiful scenes of ocean views and horses in | | | | 250 hours worth of work, but they are beautiful. |
| meadows. I guess her thoughts were focused on the | | | | When art drives you, nothing can hold you back. |
| fact that life had given her another chance and with | | | | Those are just a few of the miraculous artists |
| that chance she chose to paint. | | | | pursuing their passions regardless of the adversities |
| Today, she runs a ministry for others who are | | | | they face. |
| handicapped. No one has to pioneer themselves | | | | A few weeks ago, I highlighted the lives of Peggy |
| through the loss they have just experienced. Joni is | | | | Chun and Carlos Vargas in an article entitled "The |
| there to help them. She shows them with her actions | | | | Drive in Art." They also found life through art after |
| and through her words. But the one thing about her | | | | meeting with adversity. I don't think it's so much as |
| words, they aren't false and they don't lack | | | | people finding art through life. I think it's a greater |
| understanding, which is a stumbling block for many | | | | phenomenon than that. I think people are finding life |
| people who suddenly find themselves in such a | | | | through art. |
| situation. Joni knows because she has been through | | | | |