Category Archives: VSA Arts

It’s Gonna Be All Right

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There are no coincidences. I truly believe this. As much as I believe there is a God who loves me, I believe there is an evil force in our world trying to conquer my significance and light. In these two truths, at least to me, I believe nothing happens by chance. I believe one of these two forces in my world, God or evil, moves and life reacts around me, and I to it. Strong beliefs, yes. Controversial, to some. But in this year of my life, I am boldly saying, you don’t have to agree with me, this is who I am, this is what I believe, and I love you regardless.

Two weeks ago I had my neck fused. Many of you know this, but many of my new fans and friends may not. Actually, this was my 23rd surgery, no car wreck, just a joint disease that has been a challenge since I was 23. Despite the physical limitations I have faced, the pain, the tears, I have and still believe I live a beautiful, unimaginable life, and am grateful.




Surgery is hard. Many of you know this, and many of who may be facing surgery are probably apprehensive, scared, and worried. I was, with every one. I have also had to deal with the post-operative depression that comes afterwards. Not to everyone, but to some, and to me, often. Part of it is meds, part pain, part life issues that surround me, but like my approach to everything, this will not conquer me, it’s gonna be all right.


Today, after almost two months, my Occupational Therapist worked with me to begin painting again. Not a masterpiece, just a simple piece of art to teach me how my posture and adaptations will change for the rest of my life if I want to keep painting. The neck brace, it will be my new best friend. I kinda look at it at this point as an albatross around my neck but I will mentally deal with that because expressing myself creatively is a must, and I will not allow my physical limitations to conquer me either.

The back brace is a new, and constant friend, too. The collar keeps my neck from bending down, the brace helps my core stay stable. And, as I am told, starting small, with baby steps is what I must do, so I will. I wanted to share these with you, because many of my friends struggle with neck and back pain who are artists. If you know of any art friends who face these same issues, please share my blog with them. I have found limited resources and would love for them to know they are not alone. These are my adaptations, but they just might help you as well, especially if you are healing like I am. The painting is simply a start. I have no clue what it will turn into, but it felt good to put paint to paper and feel connected to the artistic spirit that flows within me.


And in the midst of all of this, life can actually fall apart, or it seems. Tears will flow, fears will become real, but in those moments I stop myself and simply breathe, breathe in God, breathe out everything else. My dear friend Terri Keller knows this, and for us, and hopefully many of you, those moments are what becomes the glue to our sanity.


A few hours ago I checked my Facebook page and my blessed college friend Pam had posted a video for me that made her think of me. This is where I know, coincidences don’t happen. Every word of that video I needed to hear, to know, to believe, and there it was on my page. God is like that. To me, it’s not about religion, it’s about a loving God who knows how to gently reach out is hand, even through FB, and say, “I have you, I love you.”

As I researched more about Sara Groves, this artist, her song, “It’s Gonna Be All Right” struck a chord, especially the quotes. I felt the two videos simply needed to be shared, for private reasons, and for the simple fact that someone out there might need to know, IT WILL BE ALL RIGHT, in time, in faith, with the support of others. I love all of you, I love that you follow my stories, my journey of courage and healing, but most of all, that you love me for me, faults and all. Stay strong my friends, it can be overcome, it can be done, and WE WILL HEAL!

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

A Snail’s Pace is Perfect

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It has been almost two months since I created, painted, or delved into that whimsical world of mine that is as much a part of me as my faith. Actually, I believe they are intertwined, and the time has been oppressive. That doesn’t mean I have laid wailing and whining about a horrible life, on the contrary. My life is blessed beyond measure. It simply means there are parts of us, that make us each unique, and when one or more of those parts slip away, the person begins to fade just a bit. In my world, I hate to fade. 


One week ago I had my neck fused. Surgery isn’t new to me, but what that means in reality is that the creative process will take a bit longer to come back full circle. This morning, I went into my studio, lit a candle, and breathed in God and breathed out everything else. I have missed this place. The place of being surrounding by color, and potential, and imagination, but mostly the place where God is in the midst of it. As I sat, I pulled out a quote by Ira Glass and spent a long, southern bit of time pondering it, kinda like my grandpa used to do on the front porch in his rocking chair. 

What I gained from this is that part of healing is loving myself enough to believe a snail’s pace is perfect for now. I may draw a line on a paper, I may simply dream in color, watch the sun dance through my colored glass window, or I might even go back to my all time love of Play-doh. No matter the pace or the product, the beauty is that for me, creativity doesn’t have to be limited to making a painting or a collage. It is simply part of who I am, part of my beautiful world, and God has been surrounding me with it the entire time. 

It is easy to feel defeated. Physical pain can zap my zeal in an instant. Emotional and Mental Pain can completely debilitate me. But for today, I am choosing to embrace my creativity in much smaller ways, find the juicy tidbits of joy that surround me, and give myself permission to create anything, knowing full good and well the best of me will show itself when it is meant to. In that I am content. 

Regardless of where you are, I hope his quote encourages you to see that creativity is meant to be experienced daily, in some form, no matter how small…..nothing or no one is insignificant!

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Art at the Murray House

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Annette and Jami Buck

That hitting the big time question came full circle to me during this event. With total clarity, at least for me, I realized that hitting the big time as an artist was in this moment. It wasn’t about being ‘discovered’, selling a piece for a ton of money, getting into what some would say is ‘the best’ gallery. It also wasn’t about me getting my name out there or about me trying to network or sell my art. All of that, which is necessary for a professional artist, is trivial to me really. What means the most, what tells me that I have hit the big time as an artist was the look on Lurlee’s face when she clapped, and with teary eyes, said, ” This is so much fun, I had so much fun.” Yes folks, clap your hands, I have hit it big! 

Thanks Jami for this photo, love it!

Annette added the phrase “Don’t Be Afraid” to her collage

Ms. Sullivan was a hoot, kept us on our toes.

Their finished pieces, which I think are beautiful!

Flora Mary thought out of the box, loved her!

Can you tell they were loving this?

Annette’s finished collage

Mary Abby Berg’s finished collage

I have seen with my own eyes how our elderly folks are forgotten and it’s heartbreaking. The Murray House seems full of love and it’s clear that they have families who visit and love them, which is rare for so many their age. If you are an artist, I hope you would consider hitting the big time with me and volunteer at a senior center. We will be there one day won’t we? 

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

It’s been a long three months!

>I’m not sure where to start this blog except to let you all know I am still alive, barely for a while, but I pulled through and am now at home. To catch everyone up I’ll fill in a few details. On Oct. 1 I had a multiple level spinal fusion at UAB which went well and the previous xrays are of a check up. In January, I got pneumonia out of the blue, with no symptoms and spent 11 days in the hospital. During that stay, they gave me an anti-biotic which I was allergic to and that caused a full cellular burn then my face peeled. When they gave me meds in my IV line, my heart and breathing stopped 3 times, scared everyone to death, but at least it didn’t kill me. They were able to kill the pneumonia after the 5th and 6th anti-biotics worked, but it left me really sick and ill. I then learned, because they couldn’t identifiy exactly which drug affected me in that way, I would have to go home and come off all my meds, including morphiene, on my own, cold turkey. Let’s just say that was a lot of fun, I’m glad I had 35 pounds to lose, which I did, and I am just now, in mid February, able to eat solid food without getting sick. I lost so much muscle mass in my legs that my leg with my knee transplant won’t support my weight so I am in a locking ACL brace for 6 months or until my quads are the same as my left leg. Now, for those of you who know me and have been around any of my first 19 surgeries, you know I bounce back rather quickly and am quite resilient. Well, number 20 almost did me in, mentally, physically, emotionally, I almost threw in the towel. Luckily, with the support of Bill and my family, and a great therapist who is helping me stay sane through it all I am ok, thrilled to be alive, and trying to give my body time to heal and gain strength. I am also thankful that my spine surgery was not affected from the infections, so the healing process is still going forward, with no paralysis, YEAH! I did have to pull out of the gallery, I am still unable to paint, and am just now able to sit and type for a few minutes at a time without giving out, so I have missed you all, missed writing my posts, and most of all miss, still miss, living a productive life, but I know that will all come back in time because I am right were God wants me to be and all is well. I am now on Facebook, which I swore I would never do, but am glad I did because I am able to catch up with a lot of old college friends who I have missed dearly. I can’t or haven’t been able to understand why the events of the past few months took place, why they are still unexplainable by four of the top doctors in Mobile, but I’m just trusting that God’s hand was in it and it led me here, which is a much better place than I have been in many years, so I am thankful for the journey, no matter how painful.

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Minimally Invasive Spinal Lumbar Fusion Pictures

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These pics above are of my lumbar spinal fusion from L4-S1. One view is on my left side and the other I a lying on my back.

PLEASE UNDERSTAND AND AM REALLY MEDICATED SO MY GRAMMAR AND SPELLING ARE NOT WHAT I AM USED TO, AND FORGIVE THE MISTAKES. THANKS!

Well, many of you knew I traveled back up to Birmingham on the 17th with Holly for my 6 week check up. She and my Aunt Peggy went to my appointment with me which taught me a lot about being patient and what having a spinal fusion really means. This was my 19th surgery. Every surgery, including my 20th which was getting my screws out of my tibia was painful, but i usually managed to rehab and get off my pain meds within a week or two at the most. This surgery has knocked me for a loop. Because I fell the 5th day out it kind of set me back a bit but the last month and a half has been a roller coaster of emotions, good and bad, tons of nausea, a low grade fever since the surgery and the feeling that I would really lose my mind if I didn’t get off the meds. I saw 4 different doctors in Mobile who agreed I was on a lot, but wanted Dr. Okor to handle the med issue since he did the surgery. i get that but it was still one more frustrating piece of the puzzle. Well,Dr. Okor sat us down today and basically explained that my surgery was like breaking my back. You can’t detox someone who has been on morphein, valium, lortab 10, fentora, and phenergan in a week. I had completely missed the fact that my back was literally screwed up, as you can see, and the process of coming off all those strong meds would be possible, but not pleasant. So…. why tell you all these details? For those of you out there getting ready for this surgery or facing it and have been on strong opiods for a while you need to understand what you getting into. My surgery whas a great success, the bone had already started to fuse and although it was my 5th sugery I am nerve pain free and my foot drop has almost completely reversed. Dr.Okor, my surgeon at UAB, is simply the best neurosurgeon for me. On the reality of life after surgery this is what you might experience. Pain. of course, extreme mood swings in both directions, the lack of ability to drive, you will lose your memory and forget who you talk to and what you say. The post med drugs will basically keep you stoned but please don’t try and detox on your own like I did. Trust your doctor to slowly get you off your meds is a safe way. I tried and went from a pain level of 2 to a 9 within 6 hours, shaking, headache, puking, it was horrible. I was just crazy insane in wanting to be lucid, to fix coffee for my husband, to be normal, and almost made myself dangerously sick. This surgery is a huge blow to the body, not to mention the anesthesia, so all those drugs are necessary but takes months, yes months, to slowly get off of. I had this surgery for many reasonse but one was so that I didn’t have to live on morphein for the rest of my life considering I am only 40. Please realize keeping your expectations in check after surgery is key, trust your doctor, ask family to be patient ande show them your x-rays so they visually get the fact that your are actually screwed and major pain comes with that. The great news to look forward to is if your surgery is successful, you rehab correctly and safely, you will get a huge amount of quality of life back that you may have thought you would never get. I am forever optimistic but this had been hard. There have been a lot of tears, a lot of frustration, and a lot of second guessing but 6 weeks out i know for me I did the right things and things are lookings up. And a word to the caregivers of those who support, love, and take care of us. Please be patient. My husband who I love and thank dearly has had a difficult time adjusting from the shear loss of mobility I had. He has been a trooper through over 16 surgeries when most people would have run for the hills so Bill, thank you for not throwing the towel in. But realize this surgery takes a lot out on those familiy members who live with the surgery patient and it can get hard. Be patient, take breaks often, ask for help if you need to and can, and most of all don’t take the melt down personally from your loved one recovering from all these meds. I hope my experience can help at least one family transition through a major surgery in a positive way. I can’t wait to take long walks again and maybe ride a 3 wheel bicycle, but the baby steps I take now build the foundation for a successful recovery and you can do it as well! Hope you find the pics interesting, I think medicine today is a miracle and am greatful I found such a gifted surgeon. I would also caution any spinal fusion patient to find a neurosurgeon rather than an ortho surgeon. Ask back patients why I say that and you’ll get it. No hard feelings to Ortho doctors, I’ve just never had a good surgery on my back from anyone but my Neurosugeon, Dr. Okor at UAB. Good Luck and Peace with your surgeries or healing. I’ll keep you posted on how I do.

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Back recovering from a minimally invasive spinal surgery

>Tina’s Turbulent Temper

Miss Charlotte Goes Shopping ( This piece won the Belk Award and the Barnes and Nobles Award!)

Ms. Francis Does Paris

Update! I entered the 3 collages into the Spanish Moss Miniature Show at Dr. Java Coffee Co. in Mobile on Old Shell Rd. and two of them got juried in! It’s my first time getting my work juried into a show so I am really psyched about it. If you happen to be in Mobile tonight the opening is from 4-9, that’s the 15th. They will also be up until Dec. 2 as well. Peace!

A lot has happened since last September, my last post. I was able to return to work, at a middle school teaching 6th grade Science. That was my first experience with students of those ages and needless to say it was quite a challenge! Though the year went well, but in February I was tripped backwards and fell against a table. I had actually hoped there was no serious damage, but as time went on it was obvious to my doctors that my vertebrate had shifted and I was out for the year and was told to never work around kids again which breaks my heart. Not only did that leave me with more pain than I had before but so for the past 6-8 months I had to take morphiene at times just to get up. My knee is great and that surgery ended up wonderful! But, my back continued to get worse and on Oct 1 of this year Dr. Okor from UAB, who I feel is a brilliant surgeon fused F4-S1. I have no back pain as of now, the arachnoiditis is under control, but I still have a long way to go. This was my20th surgery, and most difficult due to the pain meds and weakness but I have faith that this fusion will take and and hoping for the best. In the coming weeks I hope to give more details about my knee, ankle, and back surgeries so that others struggling with orthopedic or chronic conditions will know they are not alone. I have been told I will loose function of both legs, become incontinent, need fusions up to my neck and never work again. I am a testament that it is possible to live with chronic pain while having a joyful, full life and want others to know it. The artwork you see here is new, because while laying in bed my best friend, Holly Carrigan, told me about cutting magazine pieces and turning them into collages.She explained that if Matisse could do it so could I so off I went cutting and sorting pieces. Each piece you see is created from old, recycled magazines which would have been thrown out. It’s my way of saying to mother earth, I can do a small part to protect you, and I am proud of them. My domain server says my webisite is go for 48 hours, but we wil see. Until then, thanks so much for the kind comments, they mean the world to me considering I see few human faces throughout my day. Peace, Ardith. You can still email me at ardith@ardithgoodwin.com. I also want to thank my Aunt Peggy and Uncle Louis, they let me stay with them win B’ham when I go and they have been so generous, so thanks and I love you both. But most of all, after thanking God for the daily miracles he shows me, I wan’t to thank my husband Bill and James for undergoing another surgery with me without going insane and to Brandon and Greg, my stepsons who have been a huge help. Lord knows what I would do without a wonderful family, they , and I mean everyone of you are the loves of my life and I thank you. (You too Holly, but you knew that.)

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

VSA Art in the Magic City Awards Program

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Wow, what a great night I had in Birmingham Tuesday. I attended the awards/reception/auction for the VSA Art program in the state of Alabama at the ATT Center. My three paintings were displayed proudly and my “I Wonder Why?” won the VSA Arts of Alabama purchase award and an Image Award, so it was on all the t-shirts, which was cool! This is the first time I had participated in this event and found it to be so meaningful and rewarding. The people were just so nice and meeting the other artists around our state with disabilities was the highlite of the night. I also got to attend it with my mom, Uncle Ralph, and Great Uncle Dewey, so that made it even more special. We stayed with my Aunt Peggy and had a ball! Physically, the trip was hard, because my knee was still quite swollen and being on my feet at times was stressful, but I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. Thanks to all of the VSA staff, ATT/Bellsouth, and Alabama Power who made this event possible.

I started physical therapy last week with my most favorite of all therapist at Grelot Physical Therapy in Mobile. I have had to work with a lot of thearpists in the past 15 years, and by far, Stjani Fridrikkson is the best, most knowledgeable one. It’s frustrating to go into a PT’s office and be seen along with two to three other patients at the same time. At Grelot, it’s one on one care and the best you can get. Thanks Stjani for mastering your craft and being such a great help! Rehabing after this surgery has been way slower than I thought or expected, but I can say that I have NO pain in the knee now, which is bizarre and wonderful all at the same time. I am weak, but there is nothing stopping me from building up my knee to an almost normal state. YEAHHHHH!

I have been watching the events at Virginia Tech this past week and want to wish all those family, friends, students, and community my heartfelt sympathy and prayers. I can’t comprehend the loss or imagine what it would be like for those who lost loved ones, but I can stop and acknowledge their lives. I have been a victim myself of gun violence when I was 10. I survived the ordeal but was never the same and to this day still deal with the images left in my mind of that frightful night. I wish all of those who experienced this firsthand a much quicker, peaceful understaning than I have had. God ‘s Peace be with each of you.
Ardith

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

VSA Art in the Magic City entries

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“Raymond’s Marbles”

“I Wonder Why?”

“Purple Cottage by the Sea”

After much deliberation I have made my decision to put these three paintings into the VSA art show in Birmingham. I feel they repesent a broad range of my style and I am happy with them. I have had another crick in my neck/shoulder this past week which has made most things difficult, but I am carrying on and hopefully on the mend. I have a small rupture at C5/6 which causes problems, but I’m just praying God heals me of that because it affects my painting arm. Say a pray for me. If you have visited my site or left me a comment I have added your name to my monthly drawing and I soooo appreciate the support and feedback. Happy Painting! A

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf