Deborah Camp is my only child. I raised her as a struggling single mom with small finances and big dreams. I have watched her grow into a resilient and compassionate soul and rise above the one obstacle that has been plaguing her since childhood- the countless years of torment that she faced from her peers for not fitting into the conventional mainstream box and being an introvert. She would come home with such a quiet sadness about her spirit and then immediately light up once she picked up a crayon to draw and write her feelings out. Art is the bond that we share on the maternal side of our family starting with my grandfather who loved painting landscapes of his motherland. Her mental health advocacy, passion for the arts and determination to follow her unwavering path as a freelance artist, art educator and writer have inspired me to be mindful about my mental and physical health to utilize my time to make a meaningful impact by weaving priceless memories with my family, friends and everyday interactions. She showed me her bravery and ability to choose strength and resiliency to turn her emotional pain into inspiration to raise awareness of the importance of the ability for people to feel free to express themselves in the arts and how one can find great healing in the forms of writing and visual art as a creative outlet to cope with situations such as bullying and emotional trauma so that they can overcome, become resilient and realize their fullest potential and inspire others all around them to treasure, believe and utilize their gifts. In 2023 she embarked on a self-publishing endeavor of 20 years’ worth of her art and poetry titled “Musings Diner Open 24/7” to share her story of how she was severely bullied as a child and used art and writing to heal to inspire her readers to never give up on their dreams and emerge with a renewed sense of hope to rise over their obstacles. Her book is dedicated to removing the stigma that is sadly attached to seeking treatment for mental health. She has shared her artistic journey in news articles, podcasts, open mics and her students to help them realize that bullies can never permanently squash your light even if it is a small ember within you that is glowing magnify it and find your creative outlet to express your emotions to repair your broken spirit. It helped heal her from being emotionally bullied as a child. It can help another person heal from a traumatic experience and to pass the baton of the arts to the next generation to help them heal. She is a lifelong advocator for the arts and has witnessed the tremendous impact on how art has uplifted the community and speaks a universal language to connect us and motivate us to discover our gifts that we have that we can share with each other. I realized her gift from age 3 and nurtured her to have the ability to express herself with a sea of papers, canvases, journals, coloring pages and art materials. Unfortunately, the first bully my daughter encountered was my aunt- she tried to tear down her dreams from a young age however she refused to listen. When it comes to the arts, her stance is strong since she refused to bend and fold when others tried to squash her dreams. She was the first person to try to talk down to Deborah about her artistic potential and how it is unrealistic to become an artist and that it is “A waste of time” to quote her exact words. Over the years she has heard her aunt’s words echo from coworkers to acquaintances and has never taken them to heart because deep down she has always known what her mission in this world was it was to spread joy with and inspiration with her art. Deborah is a resilient being and grateful for all of the negative experiences in her life because without them none of her writing or art pieces would have come to fruition in the form of public large scale window and wall murals or her book to help others heal. She can see through the lens of empathy and wants to help others heal from the emotional trauma that they have experienced through the arts. Art was her beacon of hope in a dark world and it will continue to illuminate the way. Her art workshops with children and adults are process oriented where the steps taken to make each piece become a therapeutic source of expression for each student. Her mission is for her art workshops to serve her students as a way to escape stressors in their life by immersing themselves in each project and tap into their creative zone. Her art workshops encourage a visual way for her students to translate their life experiences, feelings, thoughts and ideas with their imagination into a finished art piece utilizing traditional and unconventional art materials and techniques. By participating and creating a piece, each of her students feel a great sense of accomplishment and validation for completing the project in their own unique way to freely express their conscious and discover their subconscious ideas and have a new project to look forward to creating to challenge themselves. One of her full circle moment murals occurred earlier this year when she was chosen to conceptualize and paint messages of hope in the Elmhurst Hospital’s Elmhurst Suicide Prevention in Youth Program wing on 2 large pillars and an entrance wall to welcome everyone with uplifting messages that will resonate with them to inspire them. Children that enter the space have a positive message to pose with, read, interpret and draw inspiration from to tap into their gifts and see that the arts contribute a positive vibe to our world.

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