Shameless Survivor

I just realized I never posted the finished version of Shameless Survivor so here it is now.  This woman was part of Beyond Barbie's night called Through the Fire, a presentation on intimate partner abuse.  Lisette, the woman pictured here, was shot by her husband who then killed himself.  She read three entries from her blog, http://www.shamelesssurvivors.com/.  They were so powerful, they left me speechless and have resonated with me all week since then.  The one I found most moving answered the question so many people ask her, "If your husband was so abusive, why didn't you leave?"  She read a list of reasons she didn't such as feeling so bad about herself (because she believed what he said) that she had no ability to leave.  It was tough, powerful stuff to listen to. 

If you or someone you know is in a relationship that may be abusive, please know that Lisette's blog can be a resource to you, and there is much other help available, for example, Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE or YWCA.

May this painting help encourage others to seek the help they need and to know that they deserve to be treated like the wonderful people they are.

Through the Fire: Reclaiming Lost Power After Trauma and Abuse

Through the Fire: Reclaiming Lost Power After Trauma & Abuse

 Thursday, October 13, 7:00-8:30 pm

“Understanding the complexity of abuse, and recognizing unhealthy patterns in our relationships,” says program director Dawn Flores, “we are better able to seek and accept support.”  Two award-winning storytellers, MeganHicks and Linda Goodman, will be sharing the stage with shameless survivor, Lisette Johnson. 

By grace and grit, Lisette transformed the horror of being shot by her husband into healing for herself and her children.  She will be reading three of her poems— Hidden, Exit Here and Rough Road Ahead. 

Linda Goodman will share The Marriage Contract from her performance showcase, Shattered Silence.  Linda retraces the violent heritage from which she was spared to tell her parent’s love story.

Megan Hicks will perform Just Another T.N.D., the centerpiece of her show Gutsy Broads.  It is the story of her neighbor’s tragic event, which was her personal wake-up call.

The evening's performance will be followed by a brief question and answer period with the artists, who will be joined by experts from the community in offering resources, information and advice. 

DawnFlores, creator of Goddess Dance and The Juno Cards, will speak about trauma and our bodies’ response to it.  Dawn will be joined by Elli Sparks, Mama Gena Graduate and Nia instructor, who will address the importance of digesting difficult information with our bodies through movement. 

SusanBuniva, a therapist who specializes as a Collaborative Law Divorce Coach, will be available for those interested in an alternative to the traditional adversarial model of divorce.

Stacie Vecchietti, Community Organizing Manager for Safe Harbor, will be accompanied by Community Outreach and Education Team Member, Caitlin Zettl, in answering questions related to local services that are available to anyone who has been impacted by intimate partner and/or sexual violence. 

For more information on Through the Fire contact Dawn Flores at primalforce@earthlink.net

A new painting: Shameless Survivor

Yesterday I had the acute pleasure of spending four and a half uninterrupted hours in the studio working on a new commission.  I need to have it finished in time for the opening of Not Barbie: A Celebration of Real Women (Sept 16th at 6 at Crossroads Art Center, with Artist Talk at 5:30).  After a couple of weeks of caring for my 19-year-old son who just had surgery for scoliosis, I could really feel the luxury of the pleasure of being inside my own head, inside my own studio, painting, drawing, doing whatever spoke to me, not worried about his surgery or the outcome of it.  He is healing remarkably well and is making huge strides towards independence already.  He's amazing.

This painting feels like a very important one to be doing.  The subject of the portrait was in a marriage which went awry in the worst way.  Her husband's solution was to shoot her and himself. Thankfully she survived.  And has become a powerful advocate for women living in abusive situations.  This portrait is a celebration and commemoration of her survival and all that means for the world that she is still in it.  It inspires me to paint her.  I painted her scars yesterday and couldn't help but think why she has them and the courage it must take to let the world see them also.  She is wearing her husband's Brooks Brother shirt because when they dressed up and they went out together, things were good between them.  It was the time with him when she felt safe.

I feel honored to be painting this woman, the powerful, empowered, empowering woman who has survived a horror and is using her experience to help others.  Bravo, Shameless Survivor!  Thank you!

If you want to hear more about her story, she will be one of the participants in Beyond Barbie's evening Thursday, October 13 called Through the Fire: Reclaiming Lost Power After Trauma and Abuse.  For more information, you can visit my website where I have information about all the evenings for Beyond Barbie.