The Art and Spirit of Tom Faught Part 2

My husband Ron and I just returned from another visit to Maui. When we visited in April of 2012, I had the chance to meet Tom Faught, an amazing sculptor and ceramic artist. I wrote about him in The Heart of the Artist at that time from the perspective of him facing his transition from this life due to Stage 4 metastatic cancer. He was very frail but so positive. And he was saying his goodbyes.

I found it odd that I hadn’t heard of his passing, so I took a chance and emailed him. To my surprise, he emailed me right back and invited us to his home for a visit.

Tom greeted us, smiling and robust with a new lust for life. Tom decided not to take the terminal diagnosis from his doctors as true and researched online to find help, and he did. He learned about the use of a Hyperbaric Chamber. Figuring it couldn’t hurt; Tom traveled to Oahu and started treatments. Hyperbaric chambers are used to improve the quality of life for many people using 100% medical grade oxygen in a pressurized chamber. Originally created as a treatment for the bends, this treatment is known to help numerous medical conditions. The theory is that being in the chamber stimulates the immune system to fight off disease. The therapy has been shown to help everything from Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Lyme Disease, sports injuries, Migraine and Cluster headaches to Stroke and Traumatic Brain Injuries. There were no guarantees, but in Tom’s case, it worked a miracle.

Now Tom rides his bike 12 miles a day and has shifted his artist drive into creating a delightful series of sometimes satiric self-portrait drawings. He has changed his studio into a beautiful gallery of his large ceramic pieces and sculptures.

Tom and I discovered that we had both just read Proof of Heaven, a book by Dr. Eban Alexander. This life changing book showed us both that there is so much more out there than we can imagine. Tom says he went from being an atheist to being a theist by reading the book. That’s a pretty strong statement, but I understand. Always there is a way for our lives to be more beautiful. Tom, Eban, and Tom’s son Graham demonstrate this.

Tom’s recovery came just in time because last January, his beautiful 21 year old surfer son Graham broke his neck in a surfing accident. Tom has been able to significantly help with his son’s recovery encouraging him to never give up. Now paralyzed, Graham has now gained enough movement to begin feeding himself, and undaunted like his father, has figured out a way to draw striking portraits. Instead of giving up with self-pity, his plan is to be able to support himself with his art like his dad has done.

I am grateful for the inspiration of these courageous men. Their lives touch so many more and their art will always show their brilliance.

Check out Tom’s website at Artist Tom Faught Studio and Foundry

How do you perceive art? What do you see? What is beautiful? What does the color blue look like? If you could not express your answers to these questions using words, what would you do to communicate your answers? Imagine living always in a world where you see things differently. Most of us tend to see and interpret our lives from a learned perspective of how our parents, teachers, and caregivers see things, but the world of an autistic individual is quite different.

Through Patti Gay, I have been able to experience this different kind of artistic expression. Patti is a commercial artist with a wonderful range of work from realistic to whimsical designing a myriad of items from cards and gift paper to advertising campaigns and children’s books. She is just as comfortable with oil paints and she is with water color and acrylics. Her work is bright and beautiful. Patti has and artistically gifted son named Noah who also happens to be autistic.

Patti started Noah with painting when he was just three years old. He always loved to listen to music and look at books, so she thought he would enjoy being creative, too, and she was right! While she would paint, Noah would create his own paintings in the form of beautifully combined textures. Noah loves the tactile feeling of the paint and creates bubbles, or finger paints, or uses sponges. He paints on paper or newspaper, and he has even painted over some of Patti’s assignments. Inspired by Noah’s paintings, Patti found a way to combine their work and created a whole commercial line of giclee prints.

Two Can Art is the name of this line of unique art. Noah creates textures with paints, then Pattie scans his paintings into the computer. She then creates sketches where she inserts Noah’s painting into the images for the color in the finished products. The giclees are beautiful and have realistic subject matter from vegetables to surf boards and flip flops. Noah’s textures have influenced her art work. She has learned much from Noah and is working on getting a book published of Noah’s textures.

So here is a great example of looking beyond the standard perception to the beauty of the unknown. Instead of Noah living a life devoid of expression, he uses his joy in painting to manifest the hidden beauty of his soul. Working with his mother’s creativity, they together have a unique way to express themselves. Be sure to check out their website.

Click here for Two Can Art

The beginning of each New Year is a time I use to reflect and look forward. Have I completed all I intended to? What is my intention for the New Year? While contemplating, I read a blog by local artist, Erik Abel who is using the New Year to challenge himself to push his work into “uncharted territories” to see where it goes. In his blog he says he’s been reviewing his sketchbooks and journals and can see things he would love to pursue but hasn’t because of his fear that doing so would be bad for his career. Wow–

Erik Abel’s love of creating art and surfing has led him on a lifetime of adventure. Born and raised in Ventura, he has been exposed to the ocean his whole life. His unique talent to translate his passion to his design has led to unique projects such as doing prints on wood or designing surf related IPhone covers. To Erik “art and water have been his two favorite things.”

Erik has traveled extensively in the South Pacific and around the world where the surfing is beautiful and challenging. From this perspective, he has created plethora of art ranging from prints to surf boards. There are two things I like best about Erik. First is his commitment to the environment. Then I admire his commitment to giving back.

As far as the environment, Erik does things like print on Forest Stewardship Council certified birch plywood which is sourced sustainably by a company who also gives back by donating to the Plant a Billion Trees charity with every order. He’s even been experimenting with a sand-bucket evaporation system to keep his paint out of drain water. I love his awareness that taking care of our environment keeps it beautiful for all to enjoy.

In an age where giving back is becoming part of successful business practices, Erik has fully embraced that philosophy by donating a percentage of all the art he sells to a water related charity. The non-profits he contributes to are Heal the Bay, Surfaid, Surfrider Foundation, Save the Waves, and most recently, Waves for Water where Erik created a series of prints on wood where a portion of the proceeds from every sale goes to providing clean water to victims of the recent Super Storm Sandy. By his contributions, he enables his patrons to also be contributing to these causes. This type of marketing creates a flow of support and awareness of philanthropy to for his community of Ventura and further for the environment in general.

Read more about Erik, see pictures of his work, and learn about his causes at http://www.abelarts.com/

I am inspired by Erik. My intention for this year is to create sculptures that challenge me and write things I haven’t taken the time to up until now. And I will be even more generous in giving back to my community. Now what are you going to do this year?

We just returned from a beautiful visit to Maui. My husband Ron lived there 30 years ago and still has friends there we visit when we go. This time we had the opportunity to see Tom Faught, an impressive ceramic artist. I had been wanting to meet him since I love the two pieces of his we have in our home. His work is unique and large.

Tom started doing ceramic art as a boy and sold commissioned works he created to put himself through college. He has had his studio and foundry in Maui for over 30 years near the Hui No’eau Visual Arts Center and has created many large works of art and sculptures which can be found through out Maui. I especially loved one large vessel taller than I am and bigger than I could put my arms around.

We are so grateful to have had this opportunity to visit with Tom as he is now dealing with his mortality and pending transition. He has been dealing with cancer for awhile now, and he touched us deeply with his positive beautiful attitude.

Tom’s large studio is situated on a lovely piece of property surrounded by lush tropical vegetation. He has several small buildings on his compound which house other artists and his son, and he lives in one with his wife who he calls his angel. Tom is surrounded by friends and artists in a way that makes me think of tribal living. For example, when climbing down from the loft where he slept became to difficult for him, his people came together to build an addition to his home to make his life more comfortable.

The joy Tom radiates as he talks of his life while being an excellent host was an inspiration to me to live my days fully and to appreciate each moment. He exudes appreciation for a life well spent with his angel wife, his family, and his friends while having the opportunity to create beautiful works of art for which he will be remembered for many years to come.

Thank you Tom for you art, your beauty, your joy, and the sweet spirit you shared with us.

You can learn more about Tom at his web site: www.tomfaught.com

My good friend Judy Lin wrote an article for UCLA Today: Faculty and Staff Notes that I am sure you will want to read about an amazing mural project in LA which was created by Judy Baca 40 years ago and has recently been restored.  Enjoy!

http://today.ucla.edu/portal/ut/judy-baca-great-wall-of-la-216853.aspx

Please read about Skip’s situation in my previous blog. I have corrected the Donate button so you can donate now if you wish.

Rickie Byars Beckwith bubbles over with joy, energy, and love. I was surrounded by her creativity at the Soul Sisters Retreat this weekend in the Temescal Gateway Park in the mountains above Malibu. Rickie has combined all her talents into her most recent artistic endeavor which I just have to share with you!

Rickie just released her book, “Let My Soul Surrender” which is full of her expression. In Rickie’s words: “I want you to know how Art emerges from me. I want to continue to tell my stories – in my own voice and in my distinct way. I want you to know how music lives and breathes through this soul of mine.”

She has created a wonderful inspiration for us by working with her family and friends to create a book and CD that is a synthesis of music, paintings, illustrations, and photographs bringing her stories to life. And she takes the time to give full credit to everyone involved from her son-in law, or son-in-love as they say in her family, Dudley “Declaime” Perkins who did the paintings included in the book. She also gives credit to the designers who created the beautiful wardrobe she wears in the photographs and to everyone who had anything to do with this creation.

One of the things I like best about the book is the loves that just flows through it, especially evidenced in her relationship with her husband. They are such great examples of a wonderful, loving relationship with each other and with their family, church, and community.

If you would like a copy of this wonderful book, just be one of the first three to sign up for my blog and request the book and I will mail you a copy. If you have already signed up for my blog, just send me an email that you want to be one of the first three. If you are not one of the first three, you can order it from her website.

Listen to an interview with Rickie on Rev. Michael Bernard Beckwith’s radio show at the website for KPFK radio. Go to http://archive.kpfk.org/parchive/index.php and choose the archive for the July 29, 2011 show.

“In Culver City, California, Rickie is the Music and Arts Director of the Agape International Spiritual Center where she directs the 200-member Agape International Choir. Together with her husband, Rev. Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith, founder of the Agape International Spiritual Center [and one of the stars of the movie The Secret], their powerful partnership has resulted in a dynamic catalogue of songs that enable transformational healing through the power of music.” http://www.rickiebyarsbeckwith.com/bio

Art Heals

When Linda Elder was walking one day, the impact of the vehicle that hit her sent her flying into the next block. Her odyssey of recovery and discovery started at that point. With medical bills piling up, Linda and David, her husband, decided to start fresh by selling their house to pay the medical bills, then they used the money that was left to buy a piece of property where they would build their new home. Linda didn’t realize, however, that David really meant to build their home. The hammered each nail themselves which turned out to be the best rehabilitation from her accident Linda could ever have imagined.

The property Linda literally fell onto while walking on her crutches to help gain her strength back was a lot on Vista Del Mar Drive which was a Chumash Indian meeting ground which overlooks the ocean. Being sensitive to the heritage of the land, they named their house Chrystal Hawk because of the healing energy of crystals and the hawks that sit on the Monterey Pine tree on their property.

Because power tools and pain pills don’t mix, Linda learned to deal with her pain while learning leverage to lift heavy wooden beams. She was able to concentrate on the beautiful Bas relief sculpting she did around the doors and windows. The Interior Design program at the University of California at Santa Barbara was so impressed with her work that they hired her to teach Bas relief for them for 9 nine years.
The house is full of Linda and David’s amazing sculptures including some you can see from the 101 freeway close to San Jon Road. Look up on the cliffs to see a Native American warrior overlooking the freeway/ocean. Their home contains two big art studios. At the front of the home stands a giant totem reflecting the story of the home from the Chumash petroglyphs at the bottom, to the flowers grown on the property, to the cornucopia of fruits and vegetable which can be found there to the dolphin of Chumash legends, to the Chumash woman giving thanks, to the hawk on the top. Spectacular!

Linda spends her time now teaching 1000 children how to do sculpture through the Boys and Girls clubs. She goes into the schools to teach children how to sculpt their own pieces using materials they can easily find. She wants the children to be independent with their art not needing anyone but themselves to explore their creativity. Concerned about the mounting cuts to arts in education, this is Linda’s way of giving back. She also teaches sculpture to anyone interested from beginners to advanced at the studio at her home on Fridays. Read more at their web site.

The first public showing of stone sculptor G. Ramon Byrne’s life size musical instruments opens at the Museum of Ventura County on Friday, May 6. The Composed In Stone exhibition highlights Byrne’s suite of eight instruments, conceived and carved over the past five years and only recently completed. The exhibition continues through June 26.
G. Ramon Byrne
Byrnes’ silent symphony reflects his passion to transform hard surface into shapes that speak of sound and touch. A third generation stone mason and artist, Byrne works out of Ventura’s famed Art City, where he has made his artistic home since 2005. Ramon’s work is installed in public and private locations throughout California, and in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Each sculpture is created with hand tools, only. No power tools. This means hundreds of hours of work, eight to fifteen hours almost every day. The string bass which is the centerpiece of his musical suite has taken over 600 hours. He knew what the bass would look like when he imagined her three years ago. He knew her face was enigmatic and he saw a woman at a Green Art People event with the face he imagined, so he has been working with this woman as a model, a wonderful experience for both of them. He is finishing this piece just in time for this show.

His vision of this musical suite is to launch his career as a renowned artist, and to bring the exposure and patronage he needs to continue his evolution as an artist. His mission is to garner attention to further his career. His passion glows through his work making stone come to life. You can almost feel the heat radiating from his sculpture of Jimmy Hendrix’s flaming Stratocaster guitar.

Byrne began sculpting in the 1970s as an apprentice to Big Sur’s renowned wood sculptor Edmond Kara, and moved quickly into stone carving. He has worked as an instructor and demonstrator for the annual Sculptors Symposium at Camp Ocean Pines, Cambria, California, has facilitated stone sculpting workshops at the Esalan Institute in Big Sur, and teaches privately. He is also an active member of The Artist’s Union Gallery in Ventura.

The Museum of Ventura County is located at 100 East Main Street in downtown Ventura. Hours are 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is $4 adults, $3 seniors, $1 children 6-17, members and children under 6 are free.

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I recently learned about a project that singer Tony Bennett & Susan Benedetto created in New York called “Exploring the Arts: Transforming the Lives of Young People Through Arts Education.” This program started from a high school they created in New York City. “The founding of Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, a New York City high school where students pursue an equally rigorous arts and academic curriculum. It was very important to us that this be a public school, accessible to all children, regardless of their need or background, and it is with great joy that we have watched the school’s students achieve at such extraordinary levels since the school first opened in 2001.”

Their success with this project led them to create Exploring the Arts where they can serve many more students. You can read more about this project at http://www.exploringthearts.org/
I believe supporting education in the arts is vital to the health of our nation. Art is a part of everything in our lives from the music on the radio, the painting on the walls, the architecture of our buildings, the movies we see, and just about everything we look at. In these days where arts programs have been and continue to be drastically cut in public education, it is vital that we all find ways to be sure that we all have access to art and art education.
Be creative. Find a way today that you can contribute to the growth of art. It can be as simple as contributing to a project like Exploring the Arts, or buying a ticket to a local Arts Council fund raiser, to attending a high school play or concert. Please just do something!

Each day, look around you and be grateful for the art you see. Art so greatly enhances our lives.