"Who Am I? I have always felt varying levels of creativity; I would call myself “creative” more than artistic. I didn’t take my first art class until the summer of 2023. Prior to that, I would make unskilled attempts at feeding my creative hunger. My first class was an online class in Mask Making to represent “The Invisible Wound,” as a retired combat Veteran of the Army National Guard in Phoenix Arizona. Blessed to not truly experience personal trauma until my mid 40’s, they came suddenly and twofold fracturing my soul and changing my life. What did I make? “This too, shall pass” is a Three Dimensional mask using acrylic paint and two thousand five hundred, glass seed beads ranging from 6 to 10 millimeters, using colors to represent oceanside beauty and the disaster of a storm. Why did I make it? Working on my art feels like CALM for me. Once I realized the concept, the work flowed mindfully yet, effortlessly leaving only the tedious work of placing every bead on the mask. The concept felt two sided , initially feeling I was in one perspective as opposed to the other meaning, what we understand as, “the calm before the storm” in growth, is knowing, “this too shall pass!” The grips of trauma versus, what we begin to realize as we journey to recovery are dichotomous. Each concept of this piece came to me almost a rapid-fire succession and evolved ultimately to represent post-traumatic growth.
This Too Shall Pass, 2023 PTSD/MST Mixed Media, Three Dimensional Mask Created by: ARNI Cook Acrylic Painted mixed media (glass seed beaded) mask on canvas One of a kind artwork Size: 12”x12” unframed This artwork is not for sale, but is available for display only
Inspired by the many contrasts found at the beach, IT is HOME. Grounding and peaceful, until the storm hits. It can be beautifully frightening, darkening and ever changed from what it once was. The bold strength and power of Water, the strongest force of nature; only the rains of a storm can ravage the body of water that laid there before it. The shine and life force of the rising and setting Sun…the light in my eyes dimmed by clouds of the storm. The grounding foundation of the sand on the beach. It is still, calm, and normally marked with the footprints of where I have been and who I used to be. The assault, like a storm…it brought darkness and the destruction of who I was before and the paw print in the eye of the storm to represent new trauma overshadowing the first . The dove in the eye and the beams that shine down like the halos of those I’ve lost but, who I know are watching over me. The bright blue sky: peace and serenity of the life I used to know. Despite it all, find myself standing it under again."
