About John MSAA

Senior Director of Digital Communications at the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA). Lover of comic books. Player of guitars. Fan of the Sixers, also the Phillies (still, somehow...).

October 2015 Artist of the Month: Celebrating the Work of Artists Affected by Multiple Sclerosis

Posted on October 5, 2015 by John MSAA

MSAA is very proud to present our 2015 Art Showcase – celebrating the work of artists affected by MS.

We have received many wonderful submissions from across the country and are delighted to share their work and their stories with you. Please visit our online gallery to view all of the new submissions.

October Artist of the Month:
Bean Fairbanks – Seattle, WA

About the Artist:
“All of my life, I have been part geek and part artist. Since 1987, I have been living with multiple sclerosis. One of the consequences/opportunities of MS has been that I have had to reinvent myself over and over again to maximize my current talents and surmount obstacles. That has been true of my career as well as my art work. Over the years, I have crafted with charcoal, pen and ink, pastels, acrylic and oils as well as my first love: textile arts.

Now most of artwork is augmented digitally. My laptop is much more forgiving of my hand tremors than pen and ink! The computer allows me to bring my artistic vision to light. Art remains my inspiration, therapy, passion and a means to communicate. My artwork is as eclectic as my moods, whether reflecting frenzy, sensuousness or the bare essence of being.”
Read more

Be inspired – please send an online card featuring artwork by MS artist Bean Fairbanks and spread awareness of MS and MSAA.

September 2015 Artist of the Month: Celebrating the Work of Artists Affected by Multiple Sclerosis

Posted on September 2, 2015 by John MSAA

MSAA is very proud to present our 2015 Art Showcase – celebrating the work of artists affected by MS.

We have received many wonderful submissions from across the country and are delighted to share their work and their stories with you. Please visit our MS Art Showcase online gallery to view all of the new submissions.

September Artist of the Month:
Barbara Hall – Jersey Shore, PA

About the Artist:
“I believe this is my fourth year entering the MSAA Art Showcase. I continue to take painting classes and hope that I am making progress. My MS might have affected my handwriting but not my paintbrush! I hope to continue to paint through 2015. I am honored to be included with all these talented artists.”
Read more

Be inspired – please send an online card featuring artwork by MS artist Barbara Hall and spread awareness of MS and MSAA.

August 2015 Artist of the Month: Celebrating the Work of Artists Affected by Multiple Sclerosis

Posted on August 7, 2015 by John MSAA

MSAA is very proud to present our 2015 Art Showcase – celebrating the work of artists affected by MS.

August Artist of the Month:
Jeffrey Waldron – Granby, MA

About the Artist:
“My name is Jeffrey Waldron, I’m 53 years old, and I was diagnosed with MS in 2001 – although there were symptoms some years before that. I used to be a teacher (math & computers) and a scientist. Before MS, those were the best ways for me to contribute and make a difference. With the MS, however, I notice that my perceptive strengths have shifted from the quantitative to the qualitative. Today I find that I can share insights of value more effectively through art and visual recreations of the beauty I see in the world.”
Read more

Be inspired – please send an online card featuring artwork by MS artist Jeffrey Waldron and spread awareness of MS and MSAA.

July 2015 Artist of the Month: Celebrating the Work of Artists Affected by Multiple Sclerosis

Posted on July 8, 2015 by John MSAA

MSAA is very proud to present our 2015 Art Showcase – celebrating the work of artists affected by MS.

July Artist of the Month:
David Desjardins – Union, ME

About the Artist:
“I think like most artists here, I am using my artwork to show that even though MS has slowed me down and has limited what I can do, I am proving to myself and others that I am still capable of creating something beautiful and unique. When I finish a project, and my framed painting is hung, I have such a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction – “I created that!”

I’m not as prolific a painter as I once was, but I find that concentrating and losing myself in my current painting is a great way to spend an afternoon while creating something of beauty.”
Read more about the Artist of the Month

Be inspired – please send an online card featuring artwork by MS artist David Desjardins and spread awareness of MS and MSAA.

June 2015 Artist of the Month: Celebrating the Work of Artists Affected by Multiple Sclerosis

Posted on June 8, 2015 by John MSAA

MSAA is very proud to present our 2015 Art Showcase – celebrating the work of artists affected by MS.

June Artist of the Month:
Paula Breiner – Tamaqua, PA

About the Artist:
“I am an MS Survivor. No, I am not cured; it means I live day to day with this disease. I recently took a painting class to help strengthen my hand, to better my thinking and concentration, and because I haven’t drawn or painted since high school back in the 80’s.

I was diagnosed in 2006 with MS. Over the years I have developed more symptoms, and last year I was put on Rebif. I have a very loving and supportive husband whom I will celebrate our 30th anniversary with this November. We have two beautiful daughters and four amazing grandkids.”
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Be inspired – please send an online card featuring artwork by MS artist Paula Breiner and spread awareness of MS and MSAA.

May 2015 Artist of the Month: Celebrating the Work of Artists Affected by Multiple Sclerosis

Posted on May 6, 2015 by John MSAA

MSAA is very proud to present our 2015 Art Showcase – celebrating the work of artists affected by MS.

May Artist of the Month:
Lisa Wright – Austin, TX

About the Artist:
“MS can be a challenge. It saps your energy, dulls your wits and creativity. Sometimes it feels like an effort to pick up a brush or pencil. I was diagnosed in 2002 after a bout of optic neuritis that left me temporarily blind in one eye. It was enough to leave me wondering about what this meant for my future, and not just as an artist, but everything.

Fortunately, my MS had been discovered early. They put me on a therapy immediately and my flare-ups have been minimal. I am grateful to my doctors for their guidance, to my family and friends for their love and support, and to my husband – also my caregiver – for his patience. He keeps me focused if things become difficult.

And thanks to you, MSAA, for all the thorough information you provide. I’m part of the MS community, along with a lot of creative people just like me!”
Read more

Be inspired – please send an online card featuring artwork by MS artist Lisa Wright and spread awareness of MS and MSAA.

April 2015 Artist of the Month: Celebrating the Work of Artists Affected by Multiple Sclerosis

Posted on April 6, 2015 by John MSAA

MSAA is very proud to present our 2015 Art Showcase – celebrating the work of artists affected by MS.

April Artist of the Month:
Michelle Hotchkiss – Palmer, AK

About the Artist:
“I live on a small farm in a small town in Alaska with my husband who is very supportive and wonderful, a very large dog, and my dog-tolerant cat. I have two wonderful adult children and two of the cutest grandchildren ever born.

After 15 years, MS started to slow me down to where I am no longer able to lead the life I once had. This led me into looking for new hobbies that I could do in spite of the limitations. I tried scrapbooking but it was very expensive and I wasn’t satisfied coloring in stamps, so I decided to try drawing and found out I was pretty good at it. This led me deeper into drawing and painting and exploring different types of art such as mixed media and art journaling. I continue to explore other mediums and art styles and whatever makes me happy.

I am a big believer that hobbies are great for a person’s mental health and provide a sense of satisfaction and pleasure, which help counteract the things that MS has taken away.”
Read more

Be inspired – please send an online card featuring artwork by MS artist Michelle Hotchkiss and spread awareness of MS and MSAA.

March 2015 Artist of the Month: Celebrating the Work of Artists Affected by Multiple Sclerosis

Posted on March 6, 2015 by John MSAA

All-New Artists for MSAA’s 2015 Art Showcase

As part of MS Awareness Month, MSAA is very proud to present our 2015 Art Showcase – celebrating the work of artists affected by MS.

As in the past, we will highlight an Artist of the Month throughout the year and share their artwork and their story.

Presenting MSAA’s Artist of the Month for March

We are very excited to present the inaugural Artist of the Month for the 2015 Art Showcase…

March Artist of the Month:
Lisa Yeager – Thousand Oaks, CA

About the Artist:
“In 1990, I was an art director, part-time college student, and more, when I encountered blurred vision and fatigue. I assumed it was due to my busy lifestyle. Three years later, the symptoms returned. Days before my wedding, I had my first MRI. This was the wedding present that I wanted to return. Through tears, I replied that MS had picked the wrong girl!

Today, my family and I enjoy sailing, music, and traveling. I have taken martial arts and improv comedy plus saxophone lessons. I volunteer and visit others with MS. I live each day quoting another … ‘I may have MS but MS doesn’t have me.'”
Read more

Be inspired – please send an online card featuring artwork by MS artist Lisa Yeager and spread awareness of MS and MSAA.

February 2015 Artist of the Month: Celebrating the Work of Artists Affected by Multiple Sclerosis

Posted on February 6, 2015 by John MSAA

MSAA’s Next Art Showcase for 2015

Thank you to all of the artists who were part of last year’s Art Showcase for artists with multiple sclerosis. The wonderful artwork and personal stories have been inspirational to many who have visited our online gallery and who have sent and received online art cards, celebrating the lives and talents of people living with MS.

MSAA will soon debut the 2015 Art Showcase in March as part of MS Awareness Month. So, get ready for some new artwork and stories to enjoy! As before, each month we will share with you an Artist of the Month with a new online card that you can send to friends and family to spread awareness of MS, while showcasing the wonderful talents displayed by artists with MS.

You still have time for one more look at last year’s collection! Then, get ready to enjoy the many new works to be featured in MSAA’s 2015 Art Showcase!

Presenting MSAA’s Artist of the Month for February

MSAA is very proud to present our 2014 Art Showcase – celebrating the work of artists affected by MS.

February Artist of the Month:
Tammy Jennings – Monterey, CA

About the Artist:

“My name is Tammy Jennings and I live in picturesque Monterey, California. I am a 54-year-old, single woman, and I have been living with multiple sclerosis since 1996; I was 37 when diagnosed. I worked full-time until December 2006 when I had to “retire” as the unpleasant “side-effects” of my MS became too much to handle in a work environment.

As a result of having more free time and at the suggestion of my cousin, I started painting. It has been a wonderful outlet. The inspiration for the paintings submitted were spring and the beautiful flowers blooming everywhere.”

January 2015 Artist of the Month: Celebrating the Work of Artists Affected by Multiple Sclerosis

Posted on January 9, 2015 by John MSAA

MSAA is very proud to present our 2014 Art Showcase – celebrating the work of artists affected by MS.

January Artist of the Month:
Bob Donner – Apple Valley, MN

About the Artist:

“I think you have MS, the doctor said to my wife and me, and then promptly left the room. We stared at each other, wondering ‘What the heck is MS?’ Of course we’d heard of MS, but to us it was only a charitable cause with no personal connection. Since that day in June 2008 we have learned so much, probably way too much, about MS.

Being forced into ‘medical retirement’ gave me the time to discover I had an artistic side. Due to its constant availability, a computer screen became my canvas. I may be confined to a wheelchair, but my art has opened up a new world to me – a world of color and shapes and shading. It has forced me to look at everything with ‘new”eyes. As limiting as my disability is, I can’t help but be grateful for what it has given me.”

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