Josie Sullivan

by Mark Stanley

Josie Sullivan always had a passion for art, but for almost ten years she suffered from an overwhelming fear about her ability; a fear so great that it paralyzed her creativity.

Born in Memphis Tennessee, Josie came to Columbia by way of the University of Missouri, where she pursued a degree in graphic design. Her timing wasn’t great: a couple years after she graduated, computers revolutionized the industry, and Josie’s skills were outdated. Ever resourceful, she moved to Kansas City and turned her hand to teaching art in intercity schools where, seeing how uplifted children’s morale was by art, she felt called to pursue a career in art therapy and went on to complete her graduate studies in counseling.

Her art meanwhile was on the back burner. Ever so often, she would contemplate picking up a brush but was overwhelmed by an inescapable fear that her art wouldn’t be good enough. “There was a sense of ‘what’s the point?’” Josie recalls.

A turning point came in 2002, when she began working with Rhonda Britten, founder of the Fearless Living Institute in Boulder, CO, where individuals are coached to overcome fears and realize their potential. Josie admits she was skeptical at first, but it was Rhonda who played the integral role in revitalizing Josie’s artistic spirit. “One day Rhonda asked what I had wanted to do with my life that I hadn’t yet done,” explains Josie. “That was the moment that really got me thinking about my art again.”

As she worked with Rhonda on conquering her fear, Josie’s passion for art came creeping back. After years of lying dormant, her creative energy had finally been reawakened.

Back in the bosom of Columbia’s art community, Josie had no problem getting back into the swing of things. Leigh Lockhart, owner of Main Squeeze, was the first to exhibit her work, and hosted the first of Josie’s many exhibitions. With a tight-knit group of artist friends, Josie found the spirit and the encouragement to transform herself into the fully-fledged artist that she always wanted to be.

Now a trained counselor, Josie puts her experience to good use and helps people overcome the same fear she once had. There is no better feeling than helping other people get over their fear, says Josie, “It’s like winning the spiritual lottery.”

Another of Josie’s passion is recycling, which she incorporates into her art by using a wide array of objects she finds around her house or on the street. It was a skill she learnt working during her time in the public school system, where the annual art budget was $1 per student. With no funds for art supplies, Josie spent her evenings rummaging through dumpsters in search of materials. Josie’s use of recycled material in her own work produces an inspiring sense of hope in the art she creates. Mirroring the life she blew back into her artistic career, Josie has an artist’s knack for bringing discarded objects back to life, creating beauty where there seemingly was none.

Life continues to throw challenges at Josie. She continues to struggle with a rare medical condition called myasthenia gravis, which causes muscle weakness and fatigue. But, ever the fighter, she hasn’t let this keep her from her artwork or her sense of optimism. Next on Josie’s agenda is an illustrated kids’ book, and it’s hard to imagine anything but success on her horizons. As she says, when you live without fear, anything is possible.
 

Josie Sullivan | CAL Online Artist Village | Columbia Art League
copyright © 2008 Josie Sullivan + CAL