Diabetes Art Day - The Ninjabetic Family Post
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 7:00AM I have not been this excited about a post in a long time. One, because Diabetes Art Day is just awesome and two, it is the first time my wife and kids have written something for this blog.
All 4 us sat down with pastels, paint, and pencils and made our art on Sunday. Enjoy!
"Pain" by George S. Simmons
This was the first art project I have done in a long time. I didn't trust myself to come up with anything worth while. I went back to one of the very first things you do as a child, and I traced my hand. As as I was done the rest just sort of happened. With each push of color into another I loved it more. The evidence of diabetes is there if you look close enough, and yes, it hurts.
"Fighting Florals" by Gillian R. Simmons
My piece represents the management of diabetes in general. The flowers on the left and right of the piece represent toes feet/legs eyes and your life, all things that can be effected if you don't take care of your self. The green figure in the middle represents diabetes. The black lines moving towards the left are your struggles as a diabetic. There are more on the left because that side represent what its like if you don't do anything and then diabetes (the weed) will take away your toes feet or legs sight and then wipe out your life. The flowers on the right only are tangled in little weed because even though they manage it, issues may come along the way.
I had a lot of fun doing this art project with my mom brother but especially my dad. Looking over at his piece made me understand how really difficult it is for him which only inspired me more with my artwork! I thought a lot of him and all his friends who have to go through this every day too, which inspired me to put some weed on the side that says controlled because no matter what you will have struggles, not only in diabetes but in life as well.
"Emotions of a Type 3" by George D. Simmons
aka "Dook"
My painting expresses the emotions of a type 3 throughout a day to day bases. Whether it be a serious low or my simple everyday thoughts, my mindset is constantly expressing the symbols in my painting. When my father first came to me with this painting project, I had no idea what affect it would have on me. At first I thought that this would be pointless for me because I don't [know] the first thing about how type one diabetes really feels. So, with that I instantly got "painter's block." Then my dad told me to draw about how I feel about diabetes from a type three's perspective. Instantly, the chains broke loose and I began to draw. My emotions were running high and I felt safe, overwhelmed, and terrified all at once. These emotions are represented by each figure in my drawing. First, the water tower with the effluence of water coming out of the cracked side represents my dad. Like the cracked water tower, my dad is constantly dealing with diabetic complications and some of those complications can be a burden on us. This burden is symbolized by the glowing stick figure trying to keep his balance while water is being poured endlessly on him. That stick figure is me and the glowing light surrounding that figure represents my purity by not having diabetes. I struggle to help my father with his diabetes, but even though I don't have it doesn't mean I won't get it. This emotion ties to the demon on the right with fire surrounding him while he is yielding his bow and arrow. That demon symbolizes diabetes and represents the fear in the back of my head of myself becoming diagnosed. Though as I worry about myself, and struggle to hold my dad up, I am never doing it alone. I will and have always had God by my side. God, in this picture, is represented by the large hand pushing it's way through the clouds to slow down the water, help me up, and block the demon's arrow. So, overall, with God next to me every step of the way, I will never let diabetes overcome my dad or myself.
Drawing about how I felt about diabetes was new, interesting, and most of all relieving. Usually I express my emotions by writing or listening to music. So it was interesting and was also a challenge because I don't draw that much and I found it almost more relaxing than writing a song. With a song, you can only say so much, but with a picture you can let your mind explore different ways to express feelings by different images. I guess that's where the saying,"A picture's worth a thousand words," gets it's meaning. Even though the meaning behind my drawing is somewhat sad the process was still a load of fun. I was getting my hands dirty with pastels and was finding the inner artist inside me without the urge of cutting my ear off. Anyway, it gave my family a chance to get away from any electronics and have fun doing something totally different and meaningful. I definitely wouldn't hesitate to do this again.
"You Are My Sunshine" by Jasmine R. Simmons
Each piece of my drawing holds a specific meaning. The sunburst represents my husband, George, a person with type 1 diabetes. He is my sunshine. The red-colored points represent the pain and complications he has to live with daily. The tree with a cross-shaped trunk is a symbol of Christ alive in George and his faith at the center of his being. The red/blue drops symbolize blood and tears. Essentially, with Christ at his center, George is far greater than any pain, blood, or tears. He can overcome all obstacles through the strength and courage that comes from His love.
"Fifty at Four" by George S. Simmons
I think the title alone explains the meaning of this piece. Although it seems cut and dry, to those who do not have diabetes this picture would just look like a house with it's light on. We know what is going on inside. Sweat, fear, anger, frustration, tears, chills, food, worry. Some of those. All of those. Others. That light on is something we all have experienced and will probably experience again, unfortunately.
A few strokes of blue at the very top of this canvas and this idea came to me. Like a light bulb. I have not painted anything like this in a long time and it felt good to make it. What made it even more meaningful is that early Monday morning I had a low and while I was sitting at the dining room table eating waffles my wife made, I looked at this painting as it was drying in front of me, and I stared in that window. It was overwhelming and yet freeing at the same time.
I am already looking forward to next years Diabetes Art Day. Thank you so much Lee Ann for planning this day!
Reader Comments (22)
Wow George. These are amazing, beautiful and poignant pieces. Wonderful work.
George, dook, Gil, Jaz - this is so incredibly moving to me.
I love you all, and your love for your dad/husband shines through your art and illuminates my life too. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing you and your families art.
I especially LOVE the fifty at four.
Before I even scrolled down to read the title I got the feeling of a low in the middle of the night (I had one last night at 2am myself)
what a moving picture from one diabetic to another.
Incredible. I’m so moved by all of these amazing works of art. Just incredible.
All of them... WOW. Honestly, I'm not even able to comprehend the awesomeness that is entailed in these. All I know is that there's not enough time in my work-day right now to write down... So I'll write my true reactions later on. But in the meantime: STELLAR STUFF!!
What an incredible family. #LYALB (love you All like bacon)
Amazing.
The last one you did, George, WOW.
xoxoxo
WOW! They are all amazing. You have a wonderful family
Wow - I love how your family came together for this bittersweet day.
(And Jasmine's really touched me, wonderful artist.)
Wow, G! These are t-totally AweSOME!! So cool that your family got involved too!
wow. Those are wonderful.
Thanks for posting - and your family is awesome!
G, these pictures say so much. I love how you got your family to contribute too. Just wonderful :)
Thank you so much to you and your family for taking the time to share your feelings through artwork. I found each piece powerful in their own ways. As a mother of a kid with the Big D I found I could relate in some way to each of your perspectives. Thanks again to all of you.
Your family unit, much like your family art, IS AMAZING.
HUGS
Kelly K
George,
those are very powerful images, lots of talent in your house
LOVE!
Today is freaking great. I love your art, but I love your family too. You're a really lucky guy.
I have nothing to add to the wondeful comments ahead of me other than I loved that your family all got involved.
Gotta echo the others - these are awesome. It was cool to see how your T3s represented it all in their art. Gotta say, your "fifty at four" gave me chills. (hugs) for all!
I LOVE that your whole family got involved and supported the idea! That's absolutely AWEsome!
George, I am in tears. I'm only half joking when I tell you that I don't have words to explain how moved I am, so I should probably go make some art to express it!
The art is stunning, and so rich with meaning, love and honesty. The writings they did to accompany their art, how they were concerned about how much to reveal, how they opened their hearts to trust the process of creating their art are remarkable. I got the impression they didn't fully recognize that no matter what they made, even if it expressed fear, sadness or worry, things people automatically think of as being "ugly", that it would be the truth of it that made it beautiful. It seemed like they followed their instincts, let go of their own fears, and saw that the "ugliness" still has beauty when we share it instead of keeping it trapped inside.
I couldn't be happier that your family embraced Diabetes Art Day like they did, and really seemed to get so much out of it, not just on an individual level, but as a family. I'm so grateful to you, Jasmine, Dook and Gillian for sharing yout artwork and thoughts about the experience. Really and truly, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
George- I saw these on Wednesday! I cried at work! Fabulous and beautiful. The Simmons Family rocks!
I read this post last Wednesday on D-Art Day and was crying so hard I decided I'd better come back and leave my comment later. I still don't quite know what to say. Your whole family is awesome and this art has blown me away.
Oh, George! I'm breathless... I'm so honored to be able to look at your family's artwork and read their descriptions of the process of creating their art and what the art means. They capture the pain and all of the challenge, but they also bring love, faith, and the strength you get from each other to life. It's so beautiful. Thank you, and my love to your family for contributing and sharing <3