I am an African-American survivor who has chosen to heal through art, writing and human connection. Many of the art pieces seen on Sundrip-Art for Life are in expression of life with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Lupus and Fibromyalgia. At SUNDRIP- Art for Life you will find joyful art, sorrowful art and art created simply to pass the time. These pieces show healing in all its stages.
WHAT MORE WILL YOU’LL FIND HERE?:
On this blog you will find paintings of black fairies, black children, black women and men as well as fantasy art depicting black men or women. It is hard to find paintings on the net of African-American children with fairy wings or a young African-American girl sitting on a castle wall but you’ll find that here. Part of the reason is a personal one and its hard to explain but the other reason is because it’s uncommon. You’ll also find butterflies, lots of abstract art, art slide shows and self portraits that look nothing like me. The self portrait category is to describe how I feel rather than how I look. For more information on ‘where’ the art in me originates please see the ending paragraph. For information on how to purchase my work please see the Frequently Asked Questions and Info page.
A FEW MORE THINGS ABOUT ME:
- When painting on canvas I use acrylic and make it look like oils. I also paint on cardboard boxes, brown paper bags and other alternative surfaces.
- I prefer to paint with a dry brush, and boy am I hard on my brushes.
- I have more shades of green than any other hue in my paint collection.
- I enjoy creating mixed media.
- Most of the black children that I paint come from photos of myself, even the children that appear to be white like in “He Knows How To Be Quiet” is from a childhood picture of me.
- I strive to use bright colors but my natural tendency is towards earth tones or black and white.
- Most often there is only one person in each painting. I’m sure there is a reason for this but I don’t know it yet.
- I’ve been painting and drawing since I was a wee little one. I started off painting abstracts around age 3. I have one photograph with my little puffy pony tails in front of my abstract work.
- I was told in the 6th grade by a teacher that I have no artistic ability. I’m sure that lady died an old crumpled up bitty
I’m teasing. Though her comment to me was years ago I must admit most paintings are created with her voice in the back of my mind telling me I’m not good enough. As the years go on her voice gets softer and my art gets stronger. - I doodle non-stop. I have over 200 different gel pens with which to doodle. My colored pencil collection is extensive. I doodle in front of the TV instead of snacking.
- I wrote my first poem at age nine.
- I shy away from the word artist. I believe it is over used and very misunderstood. I paint, I draw, I write, it’s who I am. Do you really have to call me an artist or can you just call me Faith?
- I was once told I brake all the rules in my paintings. I took it as a complement.
- I’m willing to “paint outside the canvas” so to speak.
- I like to try different techniques and mediums and fear not mistakes or failed experiments.
- Small photos of me make me look like I have crossed eyes. This may be the worst photo of me ever. It even looks like I have nose debris. See here. It’s just not right…not right at all –>
The above is information proving I’m just your basic girl with a love for art, humor and blogging. Get to know me a bit more by flipping through the pages of this site. Sit back, get comfortable, stay awhile. And for the love of Pete stop laughing at that picture.
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Updated February 10, 2013
For a very long time I wondered if I should add a significant detail to my bio page. I didn’t add it because I didn’t want it to be a huge deal but since it does affect my art I think, after all these years, that I’ll go ahead and say it. In addition to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder I was diagnosed with what used to be called Multiple Personality Disorder. It is now called Dissociative Identity Disorder. I was diagnosed with this in 1992 and continue my treatment to this day. Many of the art pieces were created by different alters which might explain the vast differences in subject matter and technique. Though I have included the diagnosis on the bio I will not make it an issue or include names of alter personalities. I believe it is enough to simply let it be known that other personalities draw, paint and write. Their artwork is included in my Etsy and Redbubble shop.
SUNDRIP – Art for Life is a site that expresses in every media possible the workings, the very depths of a person living with major trauma. I intend to move forward, through and out with honor, grace and creativity.
I thank you very much for visiting my site and hope you return often.
Sincerely
Faith Magdalene Austin
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art therapy
You are beautiful… I respect people like you… Best of luck…. C.
You are lovely, I also paint using water colours.
Hope you will see some of them one day.
Good luckand God Bless.
I also do this!!!!
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I collect pens, I collect pencils and notebooks. Most of them are emptry, waiting to be filled. I doodle everywhere; in the corner of newspaper pages, on a napkin, on any shopper lying iddle on the table…. I doodle on the pages of books…
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“I doodle non-stop. I have over 200 different gel pens with which to doodle. I doodle in front of the TV instead or instead of snacking. “
I really love your work and your blog. I totally understand what you are doing because I am also an African-American survivor. I would love to profile you for my blog. Please let me know if you are interested.
Hi Austin, just checking in, not sure if you got any of my emails. Your site is looking good as always. I really do love your work and favorited you on etsy.
I am really enjoying all of the art that I’ve seen on your webpage! I think you are filling a need with your art. There is a definite lack of “black fairies, black children, black women and men as well as fantasy art depicting black men or women”. I’m glad that you are taking the reigns and creating such original, beautiful and emotional works. It’s exciting to have found you! Best wishes, Stephie
Just wanted to say “hi”. It’s so rare that I find another black woman artist on the Internet, especially one who also seems to have had a very challenging mother-daughter relationship. I can relate.
Hi Gail. Do you have a showcase of your art somewhere where I can visit and see it? That would be really nice.
Yup, life was…oh, shall we say interesting.
I feel like I should know you, do I know you? Have I been to your blog or shop or something?
Faith
Hi F. Magdalene! Your website and artwork inspire me! I may not be a black woman, but I am a woman and a survivor. I can relate to your story. I’m learning to find my voice and my courage. Thanks for stopping by my flickr page. Your comments are truely appreciated! Peace, Nadine
Faith,
Thanks for visiting my flickr stream. It was very kind of you to leave comments.
I love your sense of self, and your obvious joy of life. I, too, am a survivor, and have been dealing with some intense PTSD issues as long as I can remember. I have been doing art therapy for about three years now, and have found it immensely effective and liberating.
I have some markers, pastels, and oil paints that I use for the artwork, and even though I’m not trained in techniques or anything, I still enjoy the ability to make color flow from inside of me.
You have such beautiful work, the type of work that makes me breathless and gasp for air when I see it. You have a true gift, with your work, and you have done a good work with your healing – you have patched up a lot of hurt in your heart, that much can been seen.
Loves and hugs from one survivor to another,
PK
Hi Faith, I came across your website by chance when I was Googling ‘sketch diary’ and it came up with your page on ‘Diary of an uninspired artist’, which I loved as that’s how I feel all the time! But even though you say you were uninspired, you were still doing paintings in your sketch book, which really struck a chord with me as I seem to struggle with my creative side so much. So I’ve now bought myself a Hahnemuhle sketch diary with the intention to write/draw anything I can in it, to try and get my creative juices flowing. I looked round your website and was blown away by your art – it’s so inspirational! You carry on breaking all the rules in your painting, cos I for one think you are a fantastic artist (I know you said you shy away from that word, but you are). I would love to know more about you and your journey with art. Best wishes, Stephanie
Hi Faith, I’ve just been looking in more depth at your website and I must apologise for not realising the reason behind your art, I now understand a little better. You are indeed a strong woman and I applaud you. I now know you are doing this for healing purposes and it is so wonderful to see how creative you are. I need to spend more time looking at your website to fully take it all in. Bless you x
What a wonderful comment to log on and see today. Thank you so much.
Yup, I sketch, draw and doodle even when I’m uninspired.
Sometimes I just start with a line or a squiggly something and go from there. I don’t TRY to create. I stop thinking, stop planning and just do what I know how to do. That’s what I tell myself when I’m bad mouthing me over a project that isn’t going well. I tell myself to shut up and do what I know how to do. It works.
When I start out in my sketchbook I start out with the understanding that there are no expectations, no demands, no right or wrongs. I can do whatever I want on that paper. I’m free. As soon as I let myself go, really let go then and only then can I create.
There have been times when I was so emotionally shut down that I couldn’t paint or anything. Having art in my blood meant I had to figure out how to deal with those emotions so I could….breathe again. When I’m emotionally shut down my art suffers. I have to stay emotionally open for my creative juices to flow.
Also, like you, when I’m in need of inspiration I search things like sketchbooks and art journals. I go on Flickr and look at paintings. I go on Etsy and look at art work. That makes me happy too, to see art that others have done. I like to see their work and try to think about what they were thinking as they created it.
Look at me going on and on.
My whole point was to say thank you, I search for inspiration too. If you go to my Flickr page and look at the groups I’m in you can see a wide variety of sketchbook styles and techniques.
Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sundrip/
My art therapy drawings are here
http://www.sundrip.com/journal/category/therapy/art-therapy/
Smiles to you and yours,
Faith
Hi Faith, thank you SO much for your reply. I think what you said is going to help me a lot. I have trouble letting myself go, I really want to be free to create but am constantly bogged down with interfering thoughts! Just from looking at some of your website I can see some of the issues you’ve had to deal with in your life. Some resonate with me and my own experiences. Although I don’t know all you have had to deal with (I guess I will find out once I’ve looked even more in-depth at your website), but I’m sure it’s probably a lot more than I’ve ever had to deal with. I did have a quick look at your art therapy pages, but I really want to look all through it thoroughly, and I will definitely check out your blog, flickr photos and groups. Many thanks for the ‘searching for inspiration’ tips. I’ve been trying to get back into art since my late 20s (I’m now early 40s) and the older I get the more I seem to struggle! I hope to learn more about you through your website – you sound like a wonderful person to me, a real inspiration in yourself! Best wishes, Stephanie
Hello my beautiful friend!
You are SO inspiring and yes, I am going to say it…. a FABULOUS ARTIST!
~Crystal
Dear Faith:
I purchased “Raindrops” from Imagekind.com after searching for a perfect baby gift. This painting is a new baby present for a little girl who has not yet entered this world, Lailah Star. Your “Raindrops,” I hope, will inspire and give her courage throughout her life, not just as a child. I provided the parents with a 1-page “About the Artist” so they would know where this wonderful gift to the world (your painting) came from. You are such an inspiration, and I can’t think of a better way to share your strength and beauty. I would like to share the soft copy of the “About the Artist” file with you so others can also have it when they purchase your work. Please let me know how I can do this. Thank you, Shelby
First off, let me tell you that I LOVE IT when people tell me why they purchased a piece. The art I create is truly a piece of me so when there is a connection made with someone out there its encouraging to me to know it. So thank you very much for your comment.
I’ve emailed you to answer your question about permission to copy my bio.
Thank you for your purchase. It means a lot to me to know that this painting will belong to a new life. That is beautifully moving. I said on my Facebook page that this has been a wonderful week but this just tops it ya know? Thank you very much.
Faith
I doubt you remember me, but I’ve never forgotten you. Today I linked to an old post on my blog, saw a comment you’d left there, clicked on it, and couldn’t believe it led me here that easily. I’ve always thought your art was lovely, but I really believe it’s more beautiful now than ever. It’s as if your natural talent has bloomed to a new level in the past few years. Congratulations on that and on creating a wonderful, professional website. I hope this finds you well, old friend.
Goodness yes I remember you and I remember your blog very well as well as your two dogs, the fig trees and the time a pink lizard was on your wall. Yup, I remember you. And I remember we read Carmon’s blog too and maybe you use to read Julie’s blog on flowers? She’s a rose whisperer I believe.
I sure do remember you and have thought of you often.
You too are more memorable than you think. I’ve also wondered about Plane Janet. I’m not sure if you read her blog back then or not but I remember her well. It was so good to log on and see your comment. 
Faith
So nice to hear from you! The two dogs you remember, Butch and Kadi, are both gone now, both when they were nearly 14. (Do I dare ask about Captain?) I have two new dogs now, Goldendoodles, smart but goofy brothers from the same litter. I had to cut down the fig tree because its roots were threatening the neighbor’s septic tank. Still have the ugly pink geckos, though. I don’t remember Julie, but I certainly remember the others. Ordinary Janet has become a good friend, we exchange e-mails all the time. She lost her mother last year and doesn’t blog much anymore. I guess you know that Carmon died from melanoma on 11/11/11. Except for all the sad news I just dumped on you (sorry about that), life is good. I’m enjoying retirement and hoping to do so for a long time to come. Again, it’s great to hear from you.
Yeah, I did know about Carmon. That’s still so hard, argh!
My old boy has passed too. He had to be put down in 2009. I was on the phone with Carmon that day just crying my eyes out. I know you know how it feels. I’m sorry about your babies. I think I called her Plane Janet. LOL Flying Janet. Ordinary Janet it is! oops. LOL I think she had a dog named Spot? It almost feels like an era of dogs have passed.
how you Magdalene, this is Dinah from keystone, sure miss you girl:)
Dinah from keystone………
Can you be a little more specific? I’m not placing ya. You can use my email address if you’d like. It’s on the sidebar.
I know what you mean by Keystone and your name sounds familiar. I think we discussed it being a Biblical name but I’m still struggling to remember exactly who you are. Grrrr, its killing me!