Canvass: Shawna

Playlist: a mix of Ani DiFranco, Ingrid Michaelson, and the Petty Victories (who Matti recommended.  I am now a fan.)

None of us knew what to expect.  Matti, whose studio is in the Danforth part of Toronto, made it easy for us newbies to participate.  It was a collaboration in many ways.  His paint, our bodies.  His ideas, our colour choice.  His openness, our willingness to engage.

Canvass: Alexis

Playlist: Amber Hunter

The first thing we needed to do was make a playlist of 10 songs.  Matti had a lot to choose from.  Each of ours was different and a reflection of our personalities…at least in that moment.  The rules?  Matti paints until the last note plays on the last song.  However we look, that’s the masterpiece.

Mother/daughter snapshot for Mother’s Day

Why do this?  Because it’s a celebration of the bodies we live in.  It’s an experience; an expression.  Frankly, it’s downright fun, and the brush strokes are as relaxing as getting a facial massage.  I only wish it lasted longer than 10 songs!

Canvass: Heather

Playlist: The Canadian Tenors

Why else?  Because The Human Canvass Project by Matti McLean is an achievement of milestones.  Today, Matti McLean painted his 200th “canvass,” which happened to be my mom, Heather.  He also painted his first child, my daughter, and his first multi-generational canvass! It was also an achievement for each of us “canvasses” as we stepped out of our comfort zones and into a studio we’d never been to before to be painted by an artist we agreed to hand creative control over to.

On our way to the studio, my daughter had envisioned what she wanted her painting to look like. I tried to encourage her to let Matti do what he does best, and just enjoy the process.  My mom then reminded us both that God is referred to as the potter and we the clay.  Our Creator is the Artist.  He doesn’t force us to participate. But He welcomes our engagement. If we accept, He will paint us with His brush strokes until the last note of our song has played. Then, the world will see the masterpiece He was painting throughout time.

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For more information about The Human Canvass Project, please click here.

To watch a video of Matt McLean talking about whether or not he remembers his “canvasses,” click the video below.

(I can’t help but watch this video and wonder if that’s how my Creator thinks of me…)

To watch the canvasses Matti paints in the Petty Victories Concrete and Rosy Cheeks video, click below.

What a mothers day this turned out to be!!!  We’ll never forget it.  I love you mom!

Unfortunately, it turns out it’s a house under water.  The foundation is holding in all the moisture it can, and mold is growing in the basement and spreading throughout the house.

My N.D., Dr. Elgez from ADARA clinic, has a focus on environmental health.  He urged me to bring in a mold inspection company to survey the home.  They sampled every room and compared their findings to the air quality outside.  Basically, the mold that’s found inside the house should be no more than 2x what’s found outside.  The allergenic molds Aspergillus/Penicillium were at levels of more than 140x the outdoor air!  A toxic mold was also found in my bedroom.  Houston, we have a problem.

I am blogging today to ask for your help.  I have only lived in this home for 6 months, and we love it here (minus the potential health risks of staying in this environment.)  None of the work needed to water proof the house (which needs to be done before they can even address the mold in the basement) is covered by insurance.

I have written to Mike Holmes show, Make it Right, requesting for our home to be on his show.  We’re in the right area (Cambridge,) we have a big problem (water damage and mold,) and we definitely have a story to tell (check out the Main Index page of this blog for everything you need to know.)

How can you help? Will you please support us by filling out the brief nomination form on Make It Right, and recommend us for the show?  Please help me make this home a true healing place for my daughter and I to continue to live in.

Click here to nominate.

Thank you!

With gratitude for your support,

Shawna Percy-MacDonald

If you’re looking for an excellent mold inspector in the Toronto and South West Ontario area, I highly recommend John Umpleby and Yvonne Braj  from Informed Decisions.  They only test for mold.  They do not do remediation.  So there is no conflict of interest, and they were amazing to deal with. 1(877)837-0815.

What better way to kick it off than by sharing my Elevation talk with you. Special thanks to the Elevation crew who made this talk available so quickly!

Here’s a snapshot of what you’ll hear in this podcast:

-A piece of Shawna’s story
-What the Bible says about suicide
-The political & religious history of how/when suicide became a crime
-Helpful and harmful responses
-The medical history of perception and breakthroughs
-Does what we do here, on earth, matter as we’re waiting for the promised land?
-Is God present in the darkness?

I would LOVE to hear your comments, so please click the title of this talk to get to the screen with the comments box, and leave me a note below.

Shawna

PS – this audio was recorded at the Elevation service in Waterloo.  For more information about Elevation, please click here to access their website.

This is just a friendly reminder that I’ll be speaking at Elevation church tomorrow, at 9:30am in Waterloo.  For directions and more information, please click here.

Here’s a snapshot of what I’ll be sharing:

• My personal story
• What the Bible says about suicide
• The political & religious history of how/when suicide became a crime
• What’s helpful and harmful
• The medical history of perception and breakthroughs
• Does what we do here, on earth, matter as we’re waiting for the promised land?
• Is God present in the darkness?

I hope you come mentally hungry.  I’m planning on feeding our listeners LOTS of information!

See you there

Shawna

Bell Let’s Talk and the Waterloo Region Suicide Prevention Council are sponsoring a bi-annual training seminar for family physicians and primary caregivers.

When: June 4th, 5:30pm – 8:00pm

Where: Holiday Inn, 30 Fairway Rd, Kitchener

Cost: FREE

Click here to RSVP Tana Nash at the WRSPC by May 24th

Please share this post with your doctor.  Physicians, nurse practitioners, and residents can have a significant impact in preventing suicide.  Spread the word.

These questions and more will be explored as we kick off Mental Health week at Elevation Church in Waterloo this coming Sunday, May 5th.

The Elevation Church community is a group of individuals who are interested in journeying together.  As they say on their site: “Just come as you are – no dress code, no high expectations, no pressure. We promise.”

As I have the privilege of sharing a piece of my story in this community, I will also be providing statistics, talking about harmful and helpful ways to respond to those living with mental illness or those affected by suicide, examining what the Bible says about suicide, and discussing where some of our cultural concepts about suicide come from.

If you, or someone you know is facing these issues, or wants to learn more so they can better journey with others, please join me at Elevation Church this Sunday for “Mental Illness, Suicide, and finding God in the darkness.“  I hope to see you there!

• 22 Willow Street, Waterloo (the Elevation church takes place inside St. John’s Lutheran church)
• Parking: there is some parking at the church, but additional parking is available at the much larger free parking lot just around the bend.
• Time: 9:30am
• Discussion time: Part of what is so unique about Elevation are the discussion tables set up after the service.  For those who want to dig deeper into the talk, and wrestle with questions over coffee and treats, this is the place to do it!
• For more information, please visit the Elevation website by clicking here.

Click here for more information about Mental Health week 2013.

It’s now my turn to share about my experiences with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and situational depression.

You can watch my talk here, or better yet, click here to visit the It’s My Turn Movement and check out all contributor videos.

Want to share your story?  Join the community.  Click here to learn how to make your own video, and connect it to the movement.

Remember, talking today changes tomorrow.

Bayview Concierge is hosting an event with York University professor, author, and global public speaker, Dr. Stephen Flemming.  This event, Coping with loss and trauma – When someone you love dies, is meant to educate, validate, break the myths surrounding the grief experience, and connect attendees with invaluable resources.

I have one ticket to give away.  If you, or someone you know would like to attend, leave me a comment below (if you don’t see the comments section below, click on the title of this article and scroll to the bottom of the screen.)

I will do a draw on April 15th for one lucky winner.  Value: $30

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EVENT DETAILS:

Thursday, April 18, 2013 • 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Interested in a mother/daughter photo shoot?  Check out the Heart To Heart Mommy and Me special:

To contact photographer Stephanyie Hamilton:

• Call 905-317-9300
• Click here to email
• Visit Heart To Heart Photography on Facebook
• Visit the Heart to Heart website: www.HeartToHeartPhotography.com

*This post was 100% unsolicited.* 

You can tune in at 4pm and 8pm today and every Tuesday for the next 3 weeks (from what I have been told,) anywhere in the world, to listen to the live stream using your smart phone.

HOW TO CONNECT:

1) From your smartphone, go to www.theHazeFM.ca

2) Click on the Bayshore Health & Well Being channel:

3) Click on your smartphone icon (iPhone, iPod, or Blackberry) and enjoy

Can’t listen today?  No worries.  I’ll send out a notice when the audio link is posted on Widowed.ca

Here’s an overview of the interview:

• A brief synopsis of my grief story
• Coping tools that have made me resilient
• Statistics
• Observations of my daughter’s grief journey
• Resources that have assisted me in navigating the parental waters so I can help my daughter cope
• Tips for the bereaved
• Tips for supporters of the bereaved