Well, first of all I think I was born with a paintbrush in my hand at birth! From 1976 to 2006, I had a pretty growing woodcraft business, I did about 30 shows a year, April thre the first of December. And worked full time at a factory. I drew out my own patterns, cut my ow wood, sanded, and painted! I than taught myself how to airbrush, and went to town! In 2006, my world crashed! In two years, I had two back surgeries, and nine surgeries on my hands, wrists, forearm, and shoulder! I had severe carpel tunnel, from doing piece rated work at the factory, I made guitar strings. Rate was 1440 pieces a day, and I produced over 5000 pieces a day, so I got pretty fast! I am left handed, so the first surgery was on my left wrist, well the nightmare began then! The comp Dr cut the main nerve, by accident, the one that goes from the brain to the fingers tips! After the first surgery I got worse, the dr than did 8 more surgeries to try and fix his error, that he didn't tell me he did! Five on my left side, and four on my right! He took a bone out of both elbows and a bone out of my left shulder, nothing worked, I was in severe pain. Went to a specialist to find out what was wrong! The news came, the specialist ordered my records and found out what happened. He than told me I had RSD, a cronic pain syndrome, that wouldn't go away. My brain only knows to put out the pain signal all the time, even now, so I had to learn to live with it. But by then I had lost all use of both hands, wrists and arms. I went to thyrapy for one year. Didn't work, I had to retire from work forever. The Dr's than told me just to go home and adjust to life! What life, I couldn't even feed myself or take care of my self. My hubby at that time took all my paints (acrylics!) and my brushes and packed them away! out of site , out of mind I guess! I sat each day doing nothing! I went into a deep depression. Until one day I found the hiding place of my most treasured items! My paints and brushes. Each day I would get a brush out and a paint, and teach myself to hold the brush again, and I began to doodle, and doodle for hours, while eveyone was gone. And I doodled on my arm, hmm I liked it! I had done simple cheek art before for volunteering at schools and childrens event, but with acrylics only! So I reached face paints, and found snazaroo site and silly farms site! I was blown away with excitement! For 6 months I did this in secret, each and everyday, day after day, until I could start to take care of myself the right way, until I got caught! My husband came home early from work, opened the door and saw me painting on my arm, he cried with joy, that I was now getting grip back! My depression started leaving me, I felt life returning to me, one day at a time. I didn't have to hide any more, my family knew. In June of 2009 I put in an order for paints, for the aug event for the kids, I wanted to blow them away with designs! My order came in four days, I ripped the package open and began to paint on my self, the first painting I did was of a tiger, on me! I fell in love right then. The picnic time came, the kids went nuts, and my life was born at that time! I was asked, do you do parties? I said why YES! And went home and printed a business card! My business is starting to grow! It has been hard promoting face painting in my area! I think we are behind times. I am not making great money yet, but it will come I know! Will it ever beat my woodcraft business, I dout it, I was making more in my woodcraft business per year, than I did at the factory! But my best friends, my paint brushes gave me back my life and a meaning again, even thryapy couldn't do that! Here is a pic of my very first painting that I did! This one is very special to me, it reminds me of my recovery!Is this a sad story? Yes, but without finding face painting I would still be depending on some one to help me. Am I still in pain? Yes , 24 hours a day! But my joy over rides my pain. Do I ever feel sorry for myself? No, I feel blessed to be able to put a smile on a face! What am I thankful for? Finding the world of face painting, and finding all of you great artists to share it with. I feel very blessed to share my work and chat with all the great amazing artists that I have meant, and hopefully some day I will meet lots of you in person, now you know the most secret details of my life! until then, be blessed and take care, and paint your world in color!
