SUNDRIP – Art for Life is a site that expresses in every media possible an intimate look into the life of a person living with major trauma. The issues addressed in art and writing include Dissociative Identity Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Lupus and Chronic Regional Sympathetic Dystrophy. Despite these issues, I intend to move forward, through and out with honor, grace and creativity.
At SUNDRIP- Art for Life you will find joyful art, sorrowful art and art created simply to pass the time. These pieces show healing in all its stages.
A FEW MORE THINGS ABOUT ME:
- I was born to be a chef. I knew at age 8 I was going to be a chef. I did it!!! My life tide changed and now I am in a different art field.
- Art saved my life.
- I paint on canvas, wood, cardboard boxes, brown paper bags and other alternative surfaces.
- I prefer to paint with a dry brush, and boy am I hard on my brushes.
- I have more shades of green than any other hue in my paint collection.
- I use bright colors in my work but my home decor is earth tones.
- I love to draw bare trees.
- I’ve been painting and drawing since I was a wee little one.
- I’ve continued my interest in abstract work and hope to improve that skill.
- When I make the first stroke there is a sense of relief because I know I’m going to release a lot what I call brain vomit. It’s funny because others see it so differently but that’s the thing about art, it touches us all differently. That’s okay.
- Self confidence is low.
- I’m a very sensitive person. I feel quite intensely at times, so much so that if there were a spark I feel I might go up in flames.
- I think a lot.
- Paper is beautiful. I love how it feels. I love the music when brush meets paper.
- I’m proud to say that two unborn children were given my art for their nursery room. That still makes me smile. How awesome is that!
- I am about 80% home bound now due to Lupus and Chronic Regional Sympathetic Dystrophy. For three years my doctor, nurses and CNA’s came to my home for my care. At this time friends have volunteered to help instead of CNA’s. I am blessed.
- I’m an avid reader. I love to learn new things. I have a strong interest in biology.
- I hate water but I love the life that grows in it. I’m an aquarist with 12+ years of experience. I belong to the aquarium club here.
- Dogs over cats. Pie over cake. Ice cream is divine. Tea over coffee. Hardcover over eBooks.
- If I am to have a legacy at all, I do not wish to just be known as Faith the artist. I want to primarily be known for offering encouragement, a listening ear and empathy. That means more to me than anything else.
If you’ve been with Sundrip Art for Life over any period of time you’ve seen us go through our ups and downs. We’ve grown a lot as a company! There’s another change ahead.
Thank you for visiting SUNDRIP Art for Life and as always, Live Free. Create Well.
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- Copyright 2025
You are beautiful… I respect people like you… Best of luck…. C.
I also do this!!!!
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I collect pens, I collect pencils and notebooks. Most of them are emptry, waiting to be filled. I doodle everywhere; in the corner of newspaper pages, on a napkin, on any shopper lying iddle on the table…. I doodle on the pages of books…
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“I doodle non-stop. I have over 200 different gel pens with which to doodle. I doodle in front of the TV instead or instead of snacking. “
Hi Austin, just checking in, not sure if you got any of my emails. Your site is looking good as always. I really do love your work and favorited you on etsy.
I am really enjoying all of the art that I’ve seen on your webpage! I think you are filling a need with your art. There is a definite lack of “black fairies, black children, black women and men as well as fantasy art depicting black men or women”. I’m glad that you are taking the reigns and creating such original, beautiful and emotional works. It’s exciting to have found you! Best wishes, Stephie
Just wanted to say “hi”. It’s so rare that I find another black woman artist on the Internet, especially one who also seems to have had a very challenging mother-daughter relationship. I can relate.
Hi Gail. Do you have a showcase of your art somewhere where I can visit and see it? That would be really nice.
Yup, life was…oh, shall we say interesting.
I feel like I should know you, do I know you? Have I been to your blog or shop or something?
Faith
Hi F. Magdalene! Your website and artwork inspire me! I may not be a black woman, but I am a woman and a survivor. I can relate to your story. I’m learning to find my voice and my courage. Thanks for stopping by my flickr page. Your comments are truely appreciated! Peace, Nadine
Faith,
Thanks for visiting my flickr stream. It was very kind of you to leave comments.
I love your sense of self, and your obvious joy of life. I, too, am a survivor, and have been dealing with some intense PTSD issues as long as I can remember. I have been doing art therapy for about three years now, and have found it immensely effective and liberating.
I have some markers, pastels, and oil paints that I use for the artwork, and even though I’m not trained in techniques or anything, I still enjoy the ability to make color flow from inside of me.
You have such beautiful work, the type of work that makes me breathless and gasp for air when I see it. You have a true gift, with your work, and you have done a good work with your healing – you have patched up a lot of hurt in your heart, that much can been seen.
Loves and hugs from one survivor to another,
PK
Hi Faith, I came across your website by chance when I was Googling ‘sketch diary’ and it came up with your page on ‘Diary of an uninspired artist’, which I loved as that’s how I feel all the time! But even though you say you were uninspired, you were still doing paintings in your sketch book, which really struck a chord with me as I seem to struggle with my creative side so much. So I’ve now bought myself a Hahnemuhle sketch diary with the intention to write/draw anything I can in it, to try and get my creative juices flowing. I looked round your website and was blown away by your art – it’s so inspirational! You carry on breaking all the rules in your painting, cos I for one think you are a fantastic artist (I know you said you shy away from that word, but you are). I would love to know more about you and your journey with art. Best wishes, Stephanie
Hi Faith, I’ve just been looking in more depth at your website and I must apologise for not realising the reason behind your art, I now understand a little better. You are indeed a strong woman and I applaud you. I now know you are doing this for healing purposes and it is so wonderful to see how creative you are. I need to spend more time looking at your website to fully take it all in. Bless you x
What a wonderful comment to log on and see today. Thank you so much.
Yup, I sketch, draw and doodle even when I’m uninspired. 🙂 Sometimes I just start with a line or a squiggly something and go from there. I don’t TRY to create. I stop thinking, stop planning and just do what I know how to do. That’s what I tell myself when I’m bad mouthing me over a project that isn’t going well. I tell myself to shut up and do what I know how to do. It works.
When I start out in my sketchbook I start out with the understanding that there are no expectations, no demands, no right or wrongs. I can do whatever I want on that paper. I’m free. As soon as I let myself go, really let go then and only then can I create.
There have been times when I was so emotionally shut down that I couldn’t paint or anything. Having art in my blood meant I had to figure out how to deal with those emotions so I could….breathe again. When I’m emotionally shut down my art suffers. I have to stay emotionally open for my creative juices to flow.
Also, like you, when I’m in need of inspiration I search things like sketchbooks and art journals. I go on Flickr and look at paintings. I go on Etsy and look at art work. That makes me happy too, to see art that others have done. I like to see their work and try to think about what they were thinking as they created it.
Look at me going on and on. 🙂 My whole point was to say thank you, I search for inspiration too. If you go to my Flickr page and look at the groups I’m in you can see a wide variety of sketchbook styles and techniques.
Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sundrip/
My art therapy drawings are here
https://www.sundrip.com/journal/category/therapy/art-therapy/
Smiles to you and yours,
Faith
Hi Faith, thank you SO much for your reply. I think what you said is going to help me a lot. I have trouble letting myself go, I really want to be free to create but am constantly bogged down with interfering thoughts! Just from looking at some of your website I can see some of the issues you’ve had to deal with in your life. Some resonate with me and my own experiences. Although I don’t know all you have had to deal with (I guess I will find out once I’ve looked even more in-depth at your website), but I’m sure it’s probably a lot more than I’ve ever had to deal with. I did have a quick look at your art therapy pages, but I really want to look all through it thoroughly, and I will definitely check out your blog, flickr photos and groups. Many thanks for the ‘searching for inspiration’ tips. I’ve been trying to get back into art since my late 20s (I’m now early 40s) and the older I get the more I seem to struggle! I hope to learn more about you through your website – you sound like a wonderful person to me, a real inspiration in yourself! Best wishes, Stephanie
Dear Faith:
I purchased “Raindrops” from Imagekind.com after searching for a perfect baby gift. This painting is a new baby present for a little girl who has not yet entered this world, Lailah Star. Your “Raindrops,” I hope, will inspire and give her courage throughout her life, not just as a child. I provided the parents with a 1-page “About the Artist” so they would know where this wonderful gift to the world (your painting) came from. You are such an inspiration, and I can’t think of a better way to share your strength and beauty. I would like to share the soft copy of the “About the Artist” file with you so others can also have it when they purchase your work. Please let me know how I can do this. Thank you, Shelby
First off, let me tell you that I LOVE IT when people tell me why they purchased a piece. The art I create is truly a piece of me so when there is a connection made with someone out there its encouraging to me to know it. So thank you very much for your comment.
I’ve emailed you to answer your question about permission to copy my bio. 🙂
Thank you for your purchase. It means a lot to me to know that this painting will belong to a new life. That is beautifully moving. I said on my Facebook page that this has been a wonderful week but this just tops it ya know? Thank you very much.
Faith
I doubt you remember me, but I’ve never forgotten you. Today I linked to an old post on my blog, saw a comment you’d left there, clicked on it, and couldn’t believe it led me here that easily. I’ve always thought your art was lovely, but I really believe it’s more beautiful now than ever. It’s as if your natural talent has bloomed to a new level in the past few years. Congratulations on that and on creating a wonderful, professional website. I hope this finds you well, old friend.