Donna Koranek
"Just Cheer Up"
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I struggled a bit with the theme of pathways this year possibly because my thoughts for the project were not going towards an easy subject. I thought about the turns my life has taken as a result of dealing with depression for more than half my life. Things were more difficult in the beginning than now. I can clearly remember thinking if I take one more step down this road, it will be very difficult to find my way back. Like many people with depression, I go to bed thinking about what needs to be done the next day, only to find that getting up and taking a shower is about the most that is going to be accomplished. Depression tells you that you aren’t lovable, you won’t succeed, or you will never be good enough. All the while you walk around with a smile pasted on your face and tell people you are fine just to get through the day. And I probably do look fine, which I suspect is why some people find the problem difficult to understand.
In creating my felted piece, I tried to illustrate how I feel a good deal of the time. Sometimes, things go well for a while and I do experience cheerful times. Even then, there is a haze that can block the sun. You plan things out just right and then your colors bleed. I hang on to the best parts and try to remember them when taking a shower seems like climbing Mt. Everest. I carry on.