Day 5~ What's on the Map?

Orange Star Flower 

"Spring is the season of rebirth and renewal,

 the time where the earth heals from the bitter death of winter, and restores new life to the earth."  ~Legends of Eostra

Day 5 of Thirty, Thirty, Thirty 2015

Although I observe and seek to know and understand these things, for the purposes of this particular blog series and the time constraints imposed upon it by certain more tangible obligations of late; I made the executive decision to NOT talk about the History of Easter,  the Germanic Goddess Eostra, and the Rabbit. May your bunnies bring you many eggs this season. 

Instead, indicative of the associated spring time search for harmony and balance; I map out my plan through the winter and implement those plans in the spring. Especially, in recent winters, I have noticed a repetitive personal habit of retreating and mapping out what I will do when I re-emerge into the other-than-virtual world with the warm weather. 

The "Map" is Blooming Now

Throughout the hibernal months of life in Upstate New York, I map and take certain recluse actions to bring that map to life. This has been the Second Winter of the Art For Arachnoiditis Project. Conceived during the Root:Journal Project and the Right Brain Business Plan in the winter of 2013-2014, the project first emerged as a Portrait Project giving a face to the Arachnoiditis Survivors,  Arachnoiditis Survivor: A Portrait of Resilience Against Patient Harm In America. 

The initial six portraits and Survivors' Stories have since grown into a much larger project which serves and empowers many additional Survivors. The Art By Survivors category, the Map of the Survivors, the Call For Entries and Exhibit Planning, as well as, 20 healing art activities at artforarachnoiditis.org, a Public Project Presentation and Healing Power of Art + Adaptability Workshop, and a collaborative Public Awareness Informative Brochure about Arachnoiditis were added this winter.

 As a result of some recluse-actions-to-bring-the-map-to-life; the project is now fiscally sponsored by the New York Foundations for the Arts. Your tax-deductible contributions at NYFA have the power to expand the reach of this project. 

To date, 215 Spinal Arachnoiditis Survivors from around the world have registered their locations for the Map of Survivors to be displayed at The Art For Arachnoiditis Project Exhibit, opening April 18, 2015 1-4pm. 

Digital draft of the Map of Spinal Arachnoiditis Survivors 
Registered at the Art For Arachnoiditis Project 

Art + Adaptability=Healing
At the opening reception I will be Presenting the Art For Arachnoiditis Project and The Healing Power of Art~ "Can Art Be Medicine?" from the Foundation for Art and Healing. After the presentation, an independent adaptive art activity using the Ostrich cot provided by ostrichchair.com will be available. Participants will be able to explore what it is like to work from a horizontal position on a timed work schedule similar to the way that I have learned to Live and Work with Arachnoiditis. 

What's next on the map?

This exhibit will travel. We have been invited to permit the exhibit to travel to additional locations. More details to come.

The Map of the Survivors will continue to accept entries and remain live for easy access and connectivity.

MORE Art By Survivors. This category includes ALL genres. Survivors are  encouraged to submit sculpture, music and performance art, video, and more written works of poetry, creative non-fiction and/or fiction in response to healing art activity prompts and the individual desire to express what it means to make a Life With Arachnoiditis. We will begin accepting entries for the next cycle, 
April 30, 2015 through February 25, 2016.
2015-2016 Art By Survivors Registration Form  Exhibition details TBA. 

More Healing Art Activities

Our Own Song for the Survivors

Books and Publications: The First Exhibit Catalog,The First Book~ Still Standing Sometimes, and  A Collection of Short Stories By Arachnoiditis Survivors, Family Members, or Care Providers (Title to be determined)

Arachnoiditis Angels ~ A Tribute To The Ones We've Lost

Prizes for Participants

All New Perks for Donors

The Second Art For Arachnoiditis Project Exhibit (TBA) 

and several Other Ideas are in the works.

I am approaching this coming season with much gratitude for the encouragement, wisdom, guidance, and the contributions of all who have been following the project so far. With your help, I am empowered in a life that is about something much bigger than myself. 

Your support makes it happen.