Jacqueline C.P.
Jacqueline is a life long artist who has been creating since she could hold a pencil at the age of 2 years old. Her life was full. She was working with youth, creating art, sharing and teaching art, crafts, culture, language, nature, dance and song up until she became suddenly and severely ill. After being thrown into isolation from the illness she was still determined to create from home (even while bedridden). That comfort, identity and income lasted until she had to face a brain surgery in 2022. That brain surgery stripped the rest of her creative abilities and so much more. It took 3 and a half years for her to reconnect with her creative self.
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Welcome Back
“Welcome Back” was the first piece of art that Jacqueline was able to complete start to finish since before her brain surgery. By using a piece of cardboard to draw upon- it took away the pressure of perfectionism that Jacqueline had known in her lifetime before as an artist. It began as a rough drawing with the Bear slowly coming to form and then waving to her, welcoming her back. Drawing again was awkward like it was someone else’s hand but Jacqueline was dedicated to connect. She dug out her paints and brushes from storage and continued.
As the paints began to bring life and character to this image, tears of joy and relief began to also fall onto the cardboard. The glimpse of hope of her valuable creative self came to reality in a surprising and sudden way like a gentle rainstorm. She hopes this image and story will bring hope and comfort to other survivors and families.
The bear is a symbol of strength and rebirth since a bear is capable of hibernating and isolating in harsh conditions and thriving throughout the experience. The magpie bird on the bear’s head is seen as a messenger of hope and a symbol of resourcefulness and endurance.
