A Transformation Through the Arts
Michele has been living with Cerebral Palsy for her entire 28 years of life. For most of her life she has been told what she cannot do. One day, a sudden inspiration finds her signing up to take an art class for the very first time with Judy Gittelsohn, a Palo Alto artist who is also one of the Arts Council’s resident artists for ArtsConnect, the Arts Council’s arts education program for at-risk teens, persons with disabilities and seniors. Michele had always possessed a love for art and felt this would be a great opportunity to be part of the creativity process.

Michele had never picked up a paint brush before, because, like many other things in her life, she had been told by numerous doctors and physical therapists that her limited hand use would not allow her to use it at all. As a result, she did not believe she had the physical capabilities to put a paint brush to the paper and create something beautiful.

Michele had planned to tell the artist what she envisioned on paper and was expecting Judy to then paint it for her. But Judy, unaware, had other plans. At the beginning of the class, Michele was handed a paintbrush and a piece of paper was placed in front of her. What transpired next was nothing short of a miracle. From the moment the brush met the paper, Michele’s life was about to change. In one art class she painted a tree followed by a dog and then the grand finale: a picture of Celine Dion. The pure joy Michele experienced while expressing herself creatively followed by the sheer sense of accomplishment was difficult to describe in words. Michele’s mom, Judith, shed tears having witnessed this ‘cathartic’ experience.

“When they explained to me later that Michele did not anticipate painting, I was blown away.” said Judy Gittelsohn. “I cannot fathom her never having done this before. There was an exhilaration with each stroke of the brush. This was like a gift for me - seeing first hand how impactful the arts can be on one person.”

With her grandmother an accomplished artist, Michele had always had an interest in the arts but decided to pursue something she felt to be more “realistic” for her, which was a double major at San Jose State University in Psychology and Behavioral Sciences. But now everything has changed.

While she plans to develop her career goals in the field of counseling, her venture into the arts has opened an entirely new door. She plans to incorporate art therapy into her future psychology practice. “Art is an extremely valuable and exciting way to explore emotions and their role in our lives.” Said Michele. “In my personal life I also look forward to exploring art both as a means of creativity and as an expression of my creative vision.”

“I never believed any of this was a possibility for me,” said Michele. “For 28 years I never thought this was an option. This experience has demonstrated to me that I have a great deal more manual and artistic potential than I ever imagined.”