I am Tamela Wagner, also known as Tamela Blessed Art. A creator of hope and happiness!
My life changed in the blink of an eye when I was diagnosed in 2011 at age 44 with a rare brain disease called Cavernous Angioma. In 2012 I had brainstem surgery that many surgeons told me would be “impossible” to have. After my diagnosis I was told to liveeach day to the fullest. I know that I was put into a hopeless situation so that I could find the hope and love of God. When I relinquished control of my situation everything around me became vibrant and beautiful. God was speaking to my heart through His mesmerizing creation and it became my healing sanctuary. After months of waiting and living one day at a time, a world renowned surgeon at Barrow Neurological Institute in Arizona said he felt hopeful that could do surgery. I didn’t give it a second thought and went to have an “impossible” brainstem surgery that I survived with flying colors! Four days after brainstem surgery I had an unexpected spinal cord surgery to remove another angioma. A month later when I returned to KC, I was in Physical, Occupational and Speech therapies for six months followed by having a Strabismus surgery to realign one of my eyeballs. The surgery left my eye shut for six months and I waited patiently each day until it decided to bloom like a flower. It was a beautiful thing to see!
My life’s path was redirected and because of that I am an Artist! I am inspired by life and the second chance I’ve been given. I am a self taught late bloomer only painting for the last 5 years. During my long and difficult time of healing, God revealed art to my soul. I contribute It’s healing power to helping me bloom into the person I was meant to be. I paint in my studio while listening to loud music, wearing my lab coat and creating from my heart. I love mixed media, watercolor, acrylic, paint markers, decoupage and COLOR! I experiment and learn as I go. I don’t spend much time thinking things through and let the paint flow, fling and sometimes fly! My loose style and dark backgrounds represent the beautiful dark chaos which is behind me, and without it, I would have never discovered my colorful and joyful freedom. It’s a wonderful and colorful life I’ve been giving!
On the pieces that have been outlined, I paint the canvas first, let it dry and then find shapes to add lines. My process is uniquely done and I refer to it as my stain glass on paper or canvas. It’s one of my favorite processes to do. In elementary I was the student who drew over the lines on my coloring sheets with a black crayon and was told by the teacher that I didn’t need to. I remember enjoying that part and now I understand why! I use black because it is a representation of my health crisis and how the dark times I’ve experienced have stemmed into some of the most beautiful. I relate with flowers, not only because of their beauty and color, but because of how they grow through adversity. Like my eyeball after surgery, a flower sprouts through darkness and grows towards the light to reveal a new life in Spring. They are delicate yet hardy and grow where they are planted living one day at a time to share their true colors and sweet beauty with the world.
I sign my art Tamela Blessed because on the front of each piece, it’s not about me, it’s about what God has done and how I have been blessed by His grace. I’ve been blessed to sell and send my art and share my story and awareness about Cavernous Angioma with people all over the world. I like to help people and often donate pieces to charities so I can help encourage people to believe and never give up! I speak at all types of functions to share my inspirational story of how God saved me, gave me art and a beautiful blooming brain! I am uncertain of my future with is disease, but I will continue to create and inspire others to believe that with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26.
My first solo exhibition is It’s My Time To Bloom at Lenexa City Hall Gallery in April 2019. I’ve displayed my art at Paper Birch Landing, Buttonwood Art Space (where one of my paintings placed) Creations of Hope, Midamerica Nazarene University Mabee Library, Genesis 1-1 Art, Prolepsis KC, Perkys Cafe, The Artisan Market and More Than Lemons. I was a featured artist for CAUK (Cavernous Angioma United Kingdom) at The Artful Pelican Gallery in London where they exhibited and auctioned one of my Blooming Brain creations. I’m actively involved with Art for Angioma Alliance and donate my art to help raise awareness and money for research. I do this in honor of my Sister Angela that passed away at age 38 in 2003 of Familial Cavernous Angioma. She had been misdiagnosed and treated for epilepsy.
Tamelablessedart@Gmail.com
FB @TamelaBlessedArtCreations
IG #tamelablessedart