Clara Grace James
40 years ago I was a young woman in my 20's ready to save the world and fight poverty and injustices. I was part of the Dr. Martin Luther King's movement for a brief period, and a teacher and a social worker. My life changed when I was a victim of a very violent crime, and so did my perception of the world. I experienced anger and self-doubt, and bottled a whole lot of emotional pain and torment. It took decades of challenging work to move through the healing process of acceptance and forgiveness, and today I am a stronger and happier woman, who experiences great joy and gratitude for the beauty of the world around me.
In 2007, I turned my passion and love for life to photography. I began photographing flowers and nature as a means of artistic expression and personal therapy. My photography not only was a new beginning, but it became part of a spiritual awakening. I discovered that the flowers I photographed represent a vulnerability and beauty of openness and healing love. Capturing the morning dew on a newly awakened orchid, or rose or hibiscus signifies a new beginning for me. Discovering a surprise butterfly on a beautiful flower signifies my emotional and spiritual transformation. Capturing the image of a ladybug on a gorgeous and velvety red rose is a sign of good luck. And I do feel like a very lucky person! I have been blessed with the ability to see the call for love humanity cries out. I have turned many of my photographs into greeting cards that I regard as healing cards, because I have experienced firsthand the powerful effects of communication through photographic visual art and unspoken words.
My artistic expression has empowered me. I no longer dwell on my past as a crime victim, but rather I evolved to a place where I am creator, and author of my own life. I take responsibility for my own happiness. I have learned that one has to move past feeling victimized in order to fully heal and learn to love. And it is only when we learn to love ourselves that we can extend that to others. My flower photographs continually remind me of enjoying the now. It has taught me to let go of the past and regard the present as the only time we have.
Thank you for the opportunity to share my artistic expression with your Art of Recovery show. Healing and Recovery truly is an art form, one in which we learn through trial and error. I regard Recovery as UNcovery. In the healing process we uncover and discover parts of our self we never knew existed. Through my recovery process I ultimately renewed my passion for life and the world around me, and I am inspired more than ever!
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