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.
My experience while thinking of something to draw was quite conflicted. As a type 3 (wife), I thought, “How open do you really want me to be?” Do I draw about my fears? Is that too depressing to put on paper and actually show people? Am I going to hurt my husband or offend anyone? Then it came to me. As a whole, our days are not spent crying and moaning about the pain of diabetes. We live with it. Better yet…we SURVIVE with it. I tried to capture what I truly see in my husband everyday. No matter how many tears we cry in frustration or finger pricks of blood, his faith is his foundation and his light shines BRIGHT, just like this sunburst.
"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!
Thursday, September 2, 2010 at 12:12PM 
