'Art Saved My Life,' Says Grandmother

Retired Trickum Middle School teacher and Lilburn resident Gwen McDonald is excitedly anticipating her first art show to be held with two other local artists starting Saturday, Aug. 6.   

McDonald has always been interested in art. As a young girl, she remembers creating pieces to give as gifts to friends and relatives and then having a strong desire to major in art in college.  However, at her parent’s insistence, she changed her major to Education. But she soon discovered that as a Language Arts and Social Studies teacher she was able to incorporate art projects into her curriculum and help reinforce many of the concepts for her students. 

About 18 months ago, she woke up with a sudden onset of severe arthritis and could not move her legs.

It was a frightening situation and took almost a year of working with her doctors to find the right combination of medications to allow her to regain her mobility.

She is thankful that her artwork gave her something to focus on other than her illness and something to look forward to every day. 

“Art saved my life,” she said emphatically.

During her recovery period, she turned to easy-to-handle small canvases and started using local materials, which could often be found right in her backyard. 

McDonald specializes in figurative collages using Southern plants and colors to create unique mixed media pieces. This type of collage is composed of mostly paper products with a lesser portion of other elements such as fabric, bark, leaves, glass, metal wire, hair netting, etc.   

The kudzu vines growing wild inspired her first piece.  We’ve all seen this plant swallowing the wooded areas around our neighborhoods, so she aptly titled the piece KUDZU 911.

How very appropriate that her very first show will be held at the Kudzu Art Zone gallery located at 116 Carlyle Street in Norcross.

The show will run through Aug. 27th, but don’t miss the opening reception this Saturdayfrom 7-9 p.m., during which one lucky guest will win a beautiful painting entitled “Natures Symphony.”

Prices range from $40 and up.