Jenni F. Harrison
In November of 1995, I suddenly found myself in agonizing pain and lost the use of my left leg. I was placed in the hospital and scheduled for surgery the next morning. My spine had deteriorated and collapsed. The doctor said that I was so close to severing my spinal cord that I could not even be care flighted to Reno. And so began a very long journey…
My left leg is permanently paralyzed and I am partially paralyzed from the waist down on the right side. I can walk some with the help of a leg brace and crutches. I spend a great deal of my day in my wheel chair. I hope somehow I can get a wheel chair more suited for outdoor use.
When I finally had to deal with the reality of my situation, I began to paint. A lot. It honestly kept me “alive.” During the course of my recovery, many many wonderful people gave me support, love and understanding. Two of those people were Senator Harry Reid and his aide, Mr. Lee Currier. Because of these people, I made a commitment to return something to my community.
J. Faith Harrison says her favorite medium is watercolor but she also loves to work in colored pencil and mixed media. Her love of life in the country is reflected in her work but she also enjoys creating work which is non representational or sometimes she works with form and color just to create a feeling in a particular piece. Her personal goal is to get art or crafts to everyone who is experiencing hardships, physical or mental challenges. Her belief is that art can become a lifeline to hope.
Artist statement written by Reno artist, Jenni Harrison.
To read more about Jenni, click here.
